HONG KONG, March 11 -- Hong Kong authorities announced Wednesday that they have banned the import of poultry meat and products from the Moniteau County, State of Missouri, the United States.

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced that in view of a notification from the U.S. authorities about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in Moniteau County, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the county with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public health.

A CFS spokesman said about 267,000 tons of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 530 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the U.S. last year.

"The CFS has contacted the U.S. authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organization for Animal Health on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.