The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has issued a ban on import of poultry and poultry products from Hualien County, Taiwan over fears of an outbreak of low-pathogenic H5N2 and H5N3 avian influenza.
This decision comes after the agency received a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low-pathogenic H5N2 and H5N3 avian influenza on poultry farms in Hualien County in Taiwan.
Commenting on the ban CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong does not import any live poultry or poultry meat from Taiwan, but a small quantity of poultry eggs is imported from Taiwan.
According to records, Hong Kong has imported about 1,600,000 poultry eggs from Taiwan between January and May this year.
"We will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreak and the latest situation in Taiwan, and will maintain close contacts with major local egg importers, distributors and supermarkets," the spokesman added.
