Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Belgium, Norway and UK suspended

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 25) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Antwerpen Province in Belgium and Rogaland County in Norway, and a notification from the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in North Devon District of Devon County, South Norfolk District of Norfolk County and Horsham District of West Sussex County in the United Kingdom (UK), 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 Hong Kong currently has established a protocol with Norway for the import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry meat was imported into Hong Kong from Norway in the first six months of this year. Moreover, according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 3 kilograms of frozen poultry meat from Belgium, and about 880 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 160,000 poultry eggs from the UK in the first six months of this year.

"The CFS has contacted the Belgian, Norwegian and British 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, October 25, 2022