HK bans poultry product imports from Italy

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HK bans poultry product imports from Italy

(Xinhua) 18:24, October 16, 2013

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HONG KONG, Oct. 16 -- Hong Kong's Center for Food Safety announced Wednesday that imports of poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from Italy's Lombardy Region has been banned with immediate effect due to threat of avian flu.

The ban came after a notification from the European Commission about an outbreak of low-pathogenic H5 sub-type avian influenza on a poultry holding in Brescia Province, Lombardy Region, Italy. The step is taken for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health.

A spokesman for the center said about 2,000 tons of frozen poultry meat and 120,000 poultry eggs from Italy were imported into Hong Kong last year.

An import ban on the same items from Emilia-Romagna Province, Italy, has been in effect since Aug. 17 this year and is still in force, he added.

"We have contacted the Italian authority over the matter and will closely monitor information issued by the European Commission on the avian influenza outbreak in Italy. Appropriate actions will be taken in response to the developments of the situation," the spokesman said.

（Editor：ZhangQian、Yao Chun）