The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 27) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Talca Province of Maule Region in Chile, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Sønderborg Municipality in Denmark, 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 has currently established a protocol with Chile 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 Chile in the first three months of this year. Moreover, Hong Kong imported about 380 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Denmark in the first three months of this year.

"The CFS has contacted the Chilean and Danish 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.