Hong Kong halts imports of chicken from Tuaran, Sabah after bird flu outbreak

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Monday that Malaysia had reported an outbreak of the virus in the eastern Sabah region. (File pic shows officials from the veterinary department in action in Tuaran,Sabah).

BEIJING: Hong Kong has ordered traders to suspend imports of poultry meat and poultry products like eggs from the Tuaran District of Sabah State in Malaysia, said the city's Centre for Food Safety on Tuesday.

The move comes after an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu in the state.

The center said that Hong Kong imported about 100 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 190 million poultry eggs from Malaysia in the first six months of this year.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Monday that Malaysia had reported an outbreak of the virus in the eastern Sabah region.

Hong Kong consumed 298,000 tonnes of poultry meat in 2017, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. - Reuters