The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced that it has suspended import of poultry meat and products from areas in Sweden, Poland and Vietnam.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced on April 23, that in view of a notification from the Swedish Board of Agriculture about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Eslöv Municipality of Skåne County in Sweden, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned area, as well as the Municipalities of Höör and Kävlinge of Skåne County near the affected area, 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 1 550 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Sweden last year.
"The CFS has contacted the Swedish authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health and relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
On April 22, the CFS also announced that in view of a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Kępiński District and Ostrowski District of Wielkopolskie Region, Elbląski District of Warmińsko-mazurskie Region, Sierpecki District of Mazowieckie Region and Malborski District of Pomorskie Region in Poland, and a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza in Thái Nguyên Province, Hà Giang Province, Yên Bái Province, Hải Dương Province, Lạng Sơn Province, Hà Tĩnh Province and Đắk Lắk Province in Vietnam, it has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Vietnam for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 7.63 million poultry eggs from Vietnam, and about 13 500 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 39.08 million poultry eggs from Poland last year.
"The CFS has contacted the Polish and Vietnamese authorities over the issues 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. ■
A very active and complex mid-May weather pattern is set to produce numerous areas of severe weather, heavy rain, high winds, and anomalous temperatures through this weekend.