DA bans poultry products from China

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) has temporarily banned the importation of poultry and poultry products from China after an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was monitored in a village in Heibei province.

The China Animal Disease Control Center reported in December that there was an outbreak of HPAI in the village of Zhungzhuang, Jiaozhuang, Baoding City in Heibei.  

An HPAI outbreak of the subtype H5N2 was detected among bird species and was confirmed through viral isolation and heamagglutination inhibition test conducted by Harbin Veterinary Research Institute.

To protect the health of the public and the local poultry population, the DA banned the importation of domestic and wild birds, including poultry meat, day-old chicks and eggs from China. 

The processing and issuance of veterinary quarantine clearance for the importation of such products will be suspended, the DA said.

Veterinary inspectors in all major ports are directed to stop shipments into the country of poultry meat and similar products from China.