Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced last week the immediate suspension of poultry meat and product imports from the Province of Pavia of Lombardy Region in Italy. Authorities cited a World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) report, which pointed to an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. CFS says the suspension has been issued in order to protect public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesperson said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 7,000 poultry eggs from Italy in the first three months of this year.

​"The CFS has contacted the Italian authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesperson said.