The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 20) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Drummond Regional County Municipality of Quebec Province and Essex County of ontario Province in Canada, and a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Koniński District of Wielkopolskie 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 270 tonnes and about 3,110 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Canada and Poland respectively last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Canadian and Polish 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.