HK bans import of poultry products from Province of Friesland, Netherlands

Hong Kong's food safety authorities announced on Monday to ban the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the Province of Friesland in the Netherlands due to an outbreak of low pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza in the province.

The ban came after a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about the outbreak of low pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza there, said a spokesman from the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.

The spokesman said about 3,000 tons 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. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation." the spokesman said. Endit