The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 22) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the Swedish Board of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Kartuzy District of Pomorskie Region and Poddębice District of Łódzkie Region in Poland, and in Municipality of Höör in Sweden; and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Okayama Prefecture in Japan respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     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 20 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Sweden; and about 1 540 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 219.73 million poultry eggs from Japan.

     "The CFS has contacted the Polish, Swedish 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/Monday, December 22, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:05

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