What Changed
- Immediate import suspension issued for poultry meat, products, and eggs from Kittitas County, Washington, US.
- Action triggered by WOAH notification of an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza.
- CFS contacted US authorities and will monitor WOAH and relevant updates for further action.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced on November 2, 2026, that it has instructed the food trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from Kittitas County in the State of Washington, United States, with immediate effect.
**Reason for Import Suspension**
The emergency action was taken following a formal notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) regarding an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Kittitas County. The CFS stated that the instruction aims to protect public health in Hong Kong against potential sanitary risks associated with the avian influenza outbreak.
**Scope of Affected Entities and Trade Volume**
The measure directly impacts food importers, commercial trading companies, wholesalers, and retail distributors in Hong Kong involved in importing or distributing poultry products originating from the United States.
To put the regulatory action into commercial perspective, official figures from the Census and Statistics Department show that Hong Kong imported approximately 33,270 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and around 92.33 million poultry eggs from the United States overall within the first nine months of 2026.
**Ongoing Surveillance and Regulatory Liaison**
A spokesman for the CFS confirmed that the agency has established contact with the relevant American authorities over the issue. The CFS will maintain close monitoring of updates released by the WOAH and counterpart regulatory bodies regarding the avian influenza situation in Washington State, ensuring appropriate follow-up actions are taken as circumstances evolve.
Who May Be Affected
Food trade operators, poultry importers, distributors in Hong Kong, and US poultry exporters located in Kittitas County, Washington.
Cross-Border Context
Regulatory trade suspension between the US and Hong Kong SAR governing agricultural import sanitation standards.
What to check next
- Monitor further announcements from the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety (CFS)
- Track WOAH outbreak updates regarding H5N1 avian influenza in Washington State
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Consult the official text and obtain advice appropriate to your circumstances where needed.