Hong Kong bans DRC poultry meat and products over bird flu outbreak

Hong Kong has announced a ban on all imports of poultry meat and products (including eggs) from the Democratic Republic of Congo following a bird flu outbreak.

According to the authorities, the move was to protect public health in the Chinese leading commercial trading center.

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) said its decision was connected to the notification by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of high pathogenic H5 avian influenza in the DRC.

“The CFS has contacted the Congolese authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” a spokesman said.

Three outbreaks of the flu was detected among poultry in the northeastern province of Ituri, the OIE said on Wednesday.

The virus was detected among ducks and hens in three villages near the border with Uganda, the OIE said, citing a report from the Congolese agriculture ministry.

The H5N8 strain of bird flu was present in Uganda, the OIE added, without specifying what type of H5 bird flu had been detected in Congo.