HK bans import of poultry meat and products from Douglas County, State of Oregon, USA
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 22) that in view of a notification from the American authority about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Douglas County, State of Oregon in the USA, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the county with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public health.
A CFS spokesman said about 220 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 426 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the USA from January to October this year.
"We will be in close liaison with the American authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, December 22, 2014
