Import of poultry meat and products from Le Val-Saint-François County of Quebec Province in Canada suspended

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 14) that in view of a notification from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Le Val-Saint-François County of Quebec Province in Canada, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area 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 1 020 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat from Canada last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Canadian authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health 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/Thursday, April 14, 2022