SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) temporarily bans the importation of poultry meat products, and domestic and wild birds, including day-old chicks, eggs and semen from Taiwan due to reports of an outbreak of low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) in Taiwan.
The ban was implemented after the Director of the Animal Technology Institute Taiwan confirmed the outbreak in an official report to the Office International Des Epizooties (OIE).
The report stated that the LPAI serotype H5N3 was isolated from a duck farm in the town of Yuli, Hua-lien on July 16. The existence of the virus was confirmed on August 2.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala ordered a ban on imports of domestic and wild birds, including day-old chicks, eggs and semen to protect the health of the local poultry population.
The Agriculture secretary also directed his department to immediately suspend the processing, and the evaluation of the application and issuance of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance (VQS/SPS) for the import of the said commodities.
Agriculture veterinary inspectors in all major ports in the country were ordered to halt all shipments coming from Taiwan that contain poultry meat and similar products with the exception of heat-treated products.
Bird flu outbreaks
This is not the first case of bird flu to hail from Taiwan.
READ: Taiwan reports H6N1 bird flu case
In November 2012, the Agriculture department lifted a temporary ban on the importation of poultry products from Taiwan as global animal health authorities declared the country free from bird flu contamination.
In December of that year, however, another outbreak of pathogenic avian influenza H5N2 (HPAI H5N2) was reported in a native chicken farm in Taiwan. – Rappler.com
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.