HK bans more poultry from Germany

Hong Kong banned the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from Lower Saxony, Germany, with immediate effect, the Centre for Food Safety announced Thursday.

The ban followed a notification from the World Organization for Animal Health about an outbreak of low-pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the state.

The centre has contacted German authorities over the issue and will closely monitor developments.

An import ban in effect since November on the same items from two other German states, Thuringen and Baden-Wurttemberg, remains in force.

About 8,000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat were imported to Hong Kong from Germany last year.