The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 18) that in view of a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Kępiński District of Wielkopolskie Region and Krapkowicki District of Opolskie 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 2,000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 15.4 million poultry eggs from Poland in the first nine months of last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Polish authority over the issue 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.