Import of poultry meat and products from Loir-Et-Cher Department in France suspended

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 10) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Loir-Et-Cher Department in France, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from the department with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
      
A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 7,300 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and 2.3 million poultry eggs from France in the first six months of this year, according to the Census and Statistics Department.
      
"The CFS has contacted the French authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
 
Ends/Thursday, October 10, 2019