Thursday, March 28, 2013

Avian influenza outbreaks prompt Philippine government to issue bans


    The Philippine Department of Agriculture on March 26 banned the importation of poultry products from Italy and the Netherlands after they experienced an outbreak of the low pathogenic avian influenza.
    In separate memoranda, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala ordered a freeze on imports of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen from the Romagna region in Italy and Gelderland province in the Netherlands.
    According to reports, outbreaks of H5 and H7 avian influenza were discovered in a small rural poultry farm in Medena village in Romagna, and H5 avian influenza was detected at a laying hen-holding yard in Gerderland's Lochem town.
    In line with the ban, Alcala ordered the immediate suspension of the processing and evaluation of the application and issuance of veterinary quarantine clearance on the importation of poultry products from Italy and Germany. He also ordered the DA's veterinary quarantine officers and inspectors in all major ports to halt and confiscate all shipments of poultry products, with the exception of heat-treated items­, from the two countries.

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