The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 4) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in Germany, the United States (US) and Italy, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in an area in Japan respectively, 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:

Germany
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State of Sachsen-Anhalt
(1) District of Mansfeld-Südharz

US
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State of Indiana
(2) Elkhart County
(3) LaGrange County

State of Minnesota
(4) Meeker County

State of Pennsylvania
(5) Lancaster County

Italy
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Region of Emilia-Romagna
(6) Province of Modena
(7) Province of Parma

Japan
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(8) Niigata Prefecture

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, in the first nine months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 60 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Germany; about 40 060 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 2.62 million poultry eggs from the US; about 90 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 10 000 poultry eggs from Italy; and about 1 540 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 219.73 million poultry eggs from Japan.

     "The CFS has contacted the German, American, Italian and Japanese 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/Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:50

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