The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 18) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Porto District in Portugal, and outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in Germany, the Netherlands, the United States (US), France and Denmark, 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:

Portugal
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(1) Porto District

Germany
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State of Hessen
(2) District of Wetteraukreis

Netherlands
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(3) Noord-Holland Province

US
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State of California
(4) Sonoma County

State of South Dakota
(5) Hamlin County

France
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(6) Dordogne Department

Denmark
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(7) Viborg Municipality

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, in the first nine months of this year, while no poultry meat or eggs were imported into Hong Kong from Portugal, Hong Kong imported about 60 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Germany; about 150 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from the Netherlands; about 40 060 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 2.62 million poultry eggs from the US; about 830 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 50 000 poultry eggs from France; and about 230 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 180 000 poultry eggs from Denmark.

     "The CFS has contacted the Portuguese, German, Dutch, American, French and Danish 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 18, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:45

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