The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced recently that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in the Philippines, and the outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 in Steve Tshwete Local Municipality of South Africa and in the Province of Pavia & Parma respectively , the CFS has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above places with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

In the first six months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 1,000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 10,000 poultry eggs from Italy, while no poultry meat or poultry eggs were imported from South Africa and the Philippine in 2017.

The Centre for Food Safety contacted the Philippine, Italy and South African authorities over the issues 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. 

 

Source: HKSAR Government 
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201708/07/P2017080700603.htm  
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201708/11/P2017081100661.htm 
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201708/14/P2017081400577.htm