Hong Kong suspends poultry products import from areas in Denmark, U.S.

HONG KONG, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's food safety authority decided on Tuesday to suspend the import of poultry meat and products from Lolland Municipality in Denmark and Jackson County in the State of Minnesota in the United States due to avian influenza outbreaks in these regions.

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The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from these areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesperson said the decision followed notifications from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in these areas.

The CFS has contacted the Danish and U.S. authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak, the spokesperson said.