The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 23) that in view of notifications from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Rawicki District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Franklin County of the State of Pennsylvania in the United States (US) respectively, 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 that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 6 600 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland; and about 79 630 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 19.6 million poultry eggs from the US last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Polish and American authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH 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/Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:38

NNNN