Hong Kong authorities have banned the importing of poultry and poultry products from the Province of Friesland in the Netherlands, linking the action to a reported outbreak of low pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza in the province.
“The (Hong Kong) Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has announced that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza in the Province of Friesland in the Netherlands, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the province concerned with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong,” said a statement issued by CFS.
A CFS spokesman said that about 3,000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 1.76 million poultry eggs from the Netherlands were imported into Hong Kong in the first four months of this year.
“The CFS has contacted the Dutch authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks in the country,” CFS continued.
“Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation.”
