The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 9) that in view of a notification from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Ringsted Municipality of Denmark, and a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Łeczycki District of Łódzkie Region and Nowosolski District of Lubuskie Region in Poland, 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 according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1,640 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.33 million poultry eggs from Denmark, and about 13,500 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 39.08 million poultry eggs from Poland last year.

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