The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) in Hong Kong has announced earlier this week that it will be banning all imports of poultry and poultry-related products from Sangzhi, Hunan province, till further notice, due to the discovery of a confirmed case of highly pathogenic H5N6 sub-type avian influenza in Sangzhi.

As part of Hong Kong's countermeasure against the avian epidemic, the country has decided to put a temporary ban on all imports of poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from an area within a radius of 3 kilometres from the affected region for a period of 90 days, and from an area within a radius of 13 kilometres for 21 days, with immediate effect, after considering the recommendations from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

According to information released from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, neither did the current outbreak affect any registered Mainland poultry farms for export to Hong Kong, nor were there any registered poultry meat or poultry egg processing plants situated within the import restriction zone.

The Center will continue to closely monitor the developments in the region, and take appropriate follow-up action as necessary.