On 10 October, the Centre for food safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced that an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Italian Emilia-romagna region of Province of Ferrara, based on a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (Oie) , the CFS immediately instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that, according to Census and Statistics Department information, about 40 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 10,000 poultry eggs were imported from Italy in the first six months of this year.
“The CFS has contacted the Italian authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and relevant authorities on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken according to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said