The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced on September 10 that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Vehari District of Punjab Province in Pakistan, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the district with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong currently has an established protocol with Pakistan for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1.34 million poultry eggs from Pakistan in the first six months of this year.

"The CFS has contacted the Pakistani authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE 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.