The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 20) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the relevant areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

The relevant areas are as follows:

UK
(1) South Holland District of Lincolnshire County

US
The State of South Dakota
(2) Charles Mix County
(3) Roberts County

The State of Iowa
(4) Kossuth County
(5) Taylor County

The State of Missouri

(6) Jasper County

The State of Minnesota
(7) Steele County

A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 540 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 400,000 poultry eggs from the UK, and about 21,470 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 57.11 million poultry eggs from the US in the first nine months of this year.

"The CFS has contacted the British and American authorities 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.