By Stephanie Sevillano
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday said imported domestic and wild birds, as well as its by-products from three more US states are temporarily banned to prevent the spread of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or bird flu.
According to Memorandum Order 14 signed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on March 14, several outbreaks of the HBN1 strain were reported in Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania, confirmed by the US authorities on Feb. 20.
The first outbreak was logged in Jay County, Indiana on Jan. 3 followed by Suffolk County in New York on Jan. 17, and Dauphin County in Pennsylvania on Feb. 4.
Under the import ban, the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) for poultry products from the three US states is suspended.
This covers the importation of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, eggs, day-old chicks, semen, and other related products.
Shipments already “in transit, loaded, or accepted before the official communication of the ban” are exempted, given that the products are slaughtered or produced at least 14 days before the first reported outbreak per state.
Earlier, the DA had imposed a temporary import ban in Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, Maryland, Missouri, and South Dakota in the United States; and in East Otago, Waitaki, and Canterbury in New Zealand.
To date, the country remains free from bird flu with the stringent measures in place against avian influenza. (PNA)
