Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Germany, South Africa and Denmark suspended

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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 29) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and a notification from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration respectively about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Freiburg im Breisgau and the Districts of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis, Waldshut, Ravensburg, Lörrach, Rems-Murr-Kreis, Böblingen and Ludwigsburg of the State of Baden-Württemberg in Germany, and Holstebro Municipality of Denmark, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality of North West Province and City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality of Gauteng Province in South Africa, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said Hong Kong currently has an established protocol with South Africa for import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1 tonne of frozen poultry meat from South Africa, about 3 900 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 1.41 million poultry eggs from Germany, and about 1 640 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.33 million poultry eggs from Denmark last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the German, South African and Danish authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

Ends/Thursday, April 29, 2021
Issued at HKT 18:10

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