Hong Kong CFS Suspends Import of Poultry Meat and Products from Parts of Canada Due to H5N1 Avian Influenza(Oct 12)

Hong Kong CFS Suspends Import of Poultry Meat and Products from Parts of Canada Due to H5N1 Avian Influenza

Suspension Announcement

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced on October 9 that, in response to a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) regarding outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Rural Municipality of Woodlands in Manitoba Province and Vermilion River County in Alberta Province of Canada, the CFS has immediately instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and poultry products (including poultry eggs) from the above areas to protect public health in Hong Kong.

Import Statistics

A CFS spokesman stated that, according to Census and Statistics Department data, Hong Kong did not import any poultry meat or eggs from Canada in the first six months of this year.

Ongoing Monitoring

The CFS has contacted Canadian authorities regarding the issue and will continue to closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and relevant authorities about the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation.

Context

This is not the first suspension of Canadian poultry imports by Hong Kong this month. On October 2, the CFS had already suspended imports from the Rural Municipality of Rockwood in Manitoba Province following a separate H5N1 outbreak notification. The latest suspension extends the restricted areas to additional regions in both Manitoba and Alberta provinces, reflecting the ongoing spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Canada.

Hong Kong has also recently suspended poultry imports from parts of the United States and the United Kingdom due to avian influenza outbreaks, highlighting the global nature of H5N1 spread and its impact on international poultry trade.