The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 13) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5 and H7N6 avian influenza in Mpofana Local Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province and Tswaing Local Municipality of North West Province in South Africa respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products 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 South Africa 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 South Africa in the first six months of this year.

"The CFS has contacted the South African authority 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.