The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 10) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in the United States (US) and India, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the relevant areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     The relevant areas are as follows:

US
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State of Minnesota
(1) Otter Tail County
(2) Becker County
(3) Le Sueur County
(4) Stearns County
(5) Redwood County

State of Wisconsin
(6) Jefferson County

India
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Uttar Pradesh State
(7) Rampur District
(8) Gorakhpur District

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with India for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no eggs were imported into Hong Kong from India in the first six months of this year; and Hong Kong imported about 24 650 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.61 million poultry eggs from the US in the first six months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the American and Indian 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/Friday, October 10, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:37

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