August 9, 2013

Following another outbreak of low pathogenic H7 avian influenza, Hong Kong has moved to further restrict imports of poultry from the Netherlands.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza on a farm in Tzum, Friesland, on August 5. The outbreak was picked up during routine testing by the Dutch authorities, and 9,043 birds were slaughtered to prevent the disease from spreading.

Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) said that it had banned all poultry exports from the province with "immediate effect". It added that similar bans had been imposed on poultry form the village of Zeewolde and the province of Utrecht since March 20 and June 4 this year respectively.

"We will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreak and the latest situation in the Netherlands, and will maintain close contacts with major local egg importers, distributors and supermarkets," said a CFS spokesperson.

Hong Kong is a major market for the Netherlands, importing 10,000 tonnes of Dutch poultry in the first five months of 2013.

Authorities also recently banned poultry eggs from the Hualien County of Taiwan following outbreaks of H5N2 and H5N3 avian influenza on poultry farms.