The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 4) that in view of notifications from the Italian authorities and the Swedish Board of Agriculture about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Pordenone Province of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and Padova Province of Veneto Region in Italy and Kungsbacka Municipality of Halland County in Sweden, and a notification from the Swedish Board of Agriculture about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N5 avian influenza in Trelleborg Municipality of Skåne County in Sweden, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned Italian areas and Kungsbacka Municipality of Halland County in Sweden, as well as the Municipalities of Vellinge and Malmö of Skåne County and the Municipalities of Mölndal, Härryda and Mark of Västra Götaland County near the affected areas in Sweden, 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 1,745 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and 25,000 poultry eggs from Italy and about 1,550 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Sweden last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Italian and Swedish authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health and 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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