Import of poultry meat and products from areas in US suspended
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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 3) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas 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 relevant areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
The relevant areas are as follows:
State of Maryland
(1) Queen Anne’s County
(2) Caroline County
State of Minnesota
(3) Dakota County
State of Missouri
(4) Newton County
State of Oregon
(5) Union County
State of North Carolina
(6) Hyde County
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 79 630 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 19.6 million poultry eggs from the US last year.
“The CFS has contacted the American authority over the issue 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.
