Hong Kong suspends import of poultry products from South Africa over bird flu

HONG KONG, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's food safety authority decided on Thursday to suspend the import of poultry meat and products from bird flu-affected areas in South Africa.

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said the decision was made in view of a notification from the World Organization for Animal Health about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Ngwathe Local Municipality and Nala Local Municipality of Free State Province in South Africa.

The CFS 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.