Bird flu: Hong Kong suspends imports of poultry meat and products from parts of US, Britain and Poland following H5N1 outbreaks
- Centre for Food Safety says it has instructed traders to suspend import of poultry meat and products from relevant areas with immediate effect
- Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza have occurred in several US counties, East Devon in Britain and Poland’s Goleniowski district
The Centre for Food Safety said on Monday that it had instructed traders to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including eggs, from the relevant areas with immediate effect to protect public health.
It said it had been notified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in areas of the US, the United Kingdom and Poland.
The suspension of US products covers Stanislaus and San Benito counties in California, Barron County in Wisconsin, Arkansas’ Johnson County, Ohio’s Darke County and Bent County in Colorado.
East Devon in Britain and the Goleniowski district of the Zachodniopomorskie region of Poland are also affected.
“The centre has contacted the Polish, British and American authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks,” a spokesman said.
“Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation.”
Hong Kong imported about 21,470 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and 57.1 million eggs from the US in the first nine months of this year.
In the same period, 540 tonnes of poultry meat and 400,000 eggs came from Britain.
The city also imported about 2,140 tonnes of Polish frozen poultry meat.
An industry representative said he believed the suspension of imports would not significantly impact the local catering industry.
Kwok Shi-hing, chairman of the Hong Kong Chilled Meat and Poultry Association, said most restaurants primarily relied on imports from mainland China, which comprised a majority of the market share.
“[The proportion of imports from the US] is negligible, as most catering businesses in Hong Kong source their products from the mainland, particularly Guangdong province,” Kwok said.
The proportion of British products was even smaller, he added.
Last month, authorities banned US poultry products from Stearns and Wright counties in Minnesota, Hamilton County in Iowa, Benton County in Missouri, Marshall County in Alabama and Madison County in Arkansas because of bird flu outbreaks.
In October, such products from Meeker County in Minnesota and Sanpete County in Utah were also suspended for the same reason.
Meanwhile, the carcass of a migratory Eurasian teal found at Mai Po nature reserve was suspected to have the H5 bird flu virus based on preliminary testing, a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said.
Cleaning and disinfection of visitor facilities have been stepped up.
