The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 11) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), 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:

Poland
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Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region
(1) Bartoszyce District

Netherlands
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(2) Province of Friesland

Italy
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Piemonte Region
(3) Province of Novara

UK
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(4) Norfolk County

US
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State of Georgia
(5) Gordon County

State of Idaho
(6) Payette County

State of Minnesota
(7) Swift County

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, in the first nine months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 1 870 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland; about 150 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from the Netherlands; about 90 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 9 000 poultry eggs from Italy; about 770 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.17 million poultry eggs from the UK; and about 40 060 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 2.62 million poultry eggs from the US.

     "The CFS has contacted the Polish, Dutch, Italian, British 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/Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:00

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