MANILA, (PNA) –The Agriculture Department has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of poultry meat products, domestic and wild birds including day old chicks, eggs and semen from Taiwan following a Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) or bird flu outbreak.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, through Memorandum No. 35, ordered the freeze on imports of poultry to prevent the entry of LPAI virus to the country and protect the health of the local poultry population.
The secretary has also ordered an immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance (VQS/SPS) for the import of the said commodities.
DA Veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors at all major ports were directed to confiscate all shipments of poultry meat and similar products (with the exception of heat treated products) originating from Chinese Taipei into the country.
Dr. Ping Cheng-Yang, Director of the Animal Technology Institute, Taiwan, has recently confirmed a bird flu outbreak in Yuli, Hua-lien, Chinese Taipei in his official report to the World Organization for Animal Health.
The LPAI serotype H5N3 was isolated from a meat-type duck farm on July 16, 2013 and the National Laboratory (Animal Health Research Institute) confirmed the virus thru virological test and pathologenicity test on August 2, 2013.