Hong Kong authorities have suspended the import of poultry meat and related products from specific areas in Poland and the Netherlands following outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian

influenza, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) announced on December 15.

The decision follows notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) reporting avian influenza cases in the Nidzica District of Poland’s Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region, the Poznań District of the Wielkopolskie Region, and the Gorzów District of the Lubuskie Region. An outbreak was also reported in the Province of Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands.

In response, the CFS has instructed the trade to immediately suspend imports of poultry meat, poultry products and eggs from the affected areas, citing the need to safeguard public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesman said data from the Census and Statistics Department showed that Hong Kong imported about 1,870 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland and around 150 tonnes from the Netherlands in the first nine months of this year.

“The CFS has contacted the Polish and Dutch authorities regarding the outbreaks and will continue to closely monitor information released by the WOAH and relevant authorities,” the spokesman said. “Appropriate action will be taken in accordance with developments of the situation.” Photo by Svklimkin, Wikimedia commons.