Hong Kong authorities announced Friday that they have banned the import of poultry meat and products from the province of Gelderland, the Netherlands.

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced that in view of a notification from the Dutch authorities about an outbreak of low pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza in the province of Gelderland, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products including poultry eggs from the province with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public health.

A CFS spokesman said about 15,000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 12.3 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the Netherlands last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Dutch authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organization for Animal Health on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.