Hong Kong suspends US poultry imports from select regions
Ban targets Kansas and Maryland over H5N1 outbreaks
17 February 2026
1 minute read
By: Hong Kong has suspended imports of poultry meat and products from two US counties following outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, according to a news release from the Centre for Food Safety (CFS).
The ban applies to poultry meat and products, including eggs, from Grant County in Kansas and Caroline County in Maryland. The suspension takes immediate effect.
The CFS said the decision follows notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) regarding the outbreaks. The agency said it has instructed the trade to halt imports from the affected areas to protect public health in Hong Kong.
According to Hong Kong’s Census and Statistics Department, the city imported about 54,830 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 4.33 million poultry eggs from the United States last year.
A CFS spokesperson said the agency has contacted US authorities and will closely monitor information issued by WOAH and relevant authorities on the outbreaks.
Appropriate action will be taken depending on developments, the spokesperson said.
