The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 18) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in Canada 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:

Canada
Province of Manitoba
(1) Municipality of Rhineland 

Province of Alberta
(2) Lac Ste. Anne County 

US
State of New York 
(3) Dutchess County

State of California
(4) San Joaquin County

State of Minnesota 
(5) Olmsted County
(6) Todd County

State of Michigan 
(7) Montmorency County

State of South Dakota 
(8) Bon Homme County
(9) Hamlin County

State of Ohio
(10) Hardin County

A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 20 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Canada, 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 Canadian 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.