Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Italy and US suspended

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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 31) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Metropolitan City of Florence in Tuscany Region in Italy, and Jay County of the State of Indiana, Kent County of the State of Michigan and Cecil County of the State of Maryland in the United States (US), 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, Hong Kong imported about 90 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 10 000 poultry eggs from Italy, and about 54 830 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 4.33 million poultry eggs from the US last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Italian 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, March 31, 2026
Issued at HKT 19:19

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