HONG KONG – Hong Kong's food safety authority decided on Wednesday to suspend the import of poultry meat and products from bird flu-affected areas in India, France and Poland.

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said that this was in view of notifications from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Panchkula District of Haryana State in India, and in Gers Department in France.

Another notification was from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Mysliborski District of Zachodniopomorskie Region in Poland.

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The CFS suspended the importation of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from these areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.