THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it banned imports of poultry and wild birds from New Zealand (NZ) after an outbreak of Type H7N6 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu.
In Memorandum Order No. 1, the DA said shipments of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from the country were suspended.
“There is a need to prevent the entry of the HPAI virus to protect the health of Philippine poultry,” it added.
New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries submitted a report to the World Organization for Animal Health, regarding an outbreak of HPAI in Canterbury in November affecting domestic birds.
An official report from the New Zealand government was submitted on Dec. 1 following confirmation by the New Zealand National Animal Health Laboratory.
The DA suspended the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import certificates for poultry products from New Zealand.
According to the Bureau of Animal Industry, avian flu has been detected in 53 Philippine municipalities across five provinces as of Jan 3. — Adrian H. Halili