February 5, 2004

Kyrgyzstan Bans Poultry Imports From Bird Flu Hit Countries

Kyrgyzstan has temporarily suspended all imports of poultry products and birdseed from Southeast Asia and China, officials said Wednesday.

Health and veterinary officials and all hospitals are on high alert should any bird flu cases surface in Kyrgyzstan, said Sabirjan Abdikarimov, director of the sanitation and anti-epidemic department at the Health Ministry.

Abdikarimov did not specify which countries in Southeast Asia were affected by the ban.

Bird flu has led to the deaths of tens of millions of chickens across Asia, and has jumped to humans in Vietnam and Thailand, killing 15 people.