The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 25) that in view of notifications from the General Directorate of Food and Veterinary of Portugal and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Santarém District in Portugal, and outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in Poland, Italy, Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) 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:

Portugal
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(1) Santarém District

Poland
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Opolskie Region
(2) Namysłów District

Italy
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Lombardia Region
(3) Province of Varese

Belgium
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(4) Namur Province

Ireland
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(5) County Laoighis

UK
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South Yorkshire County
(6) City of Doncaster

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Ireland for the import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. 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 1 870 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland; about 90 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 9 000 poultry eggs from Italy; about 30 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Belgium; about 20 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Ireland; and about 770 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.17 million poultry eggs from the UK.

     "The CFS has contacted the Portuguese, Polish, Italian, Belgian, Irish and British 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 25, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:47

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