The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced on February 8 that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned 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 2,300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 69.96 million poultry eggs from Ukraine last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Ukrainian authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE 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.

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