Reports submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health showed that cases of avian influenza have been reported in the Italian city of Bergamo, and in the Dutch city of North Brabant.

 

This came after a temporary ban was issued by the Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) due to reported outbreaks of bird flu or avian influenza in the said cities. Based on memorandum orders 15 and 16 issued separately by the department on March 25 and April 26, respectively, the temporary ban was based on reports of outbreaks of low pathogenic avian influenza in the said cities.

 

The ban is aimed at protecting the local poultry industry from the bird flu virus. "There is a need to prevent the entry of low pathogenic avian influenza virus to protect the health of the local poultry population," the two orders said.

 

The Philippines, along with Brunei and Singapore, are the only bird flu-free countries in Southeast Asia, data from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) show.

 

The separate orders mandate the "Banning the importation of domestic and wild birds, including day-old chicks, eggs and semen from [indicated cities] and the immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance to import the mentioned commodities."

 

Moreover, the halt and confiscation of all poultry and poultry products shipments from Italy and Netherlands at all major ports were ordered.

 

The DA has ordered the temporary ban on the entry of poultry and poultry products from Naevstved in Denmark, as well as the countries of Bhutan, Taiwan and Korea, in separate orders since January this year.

 

On the other hand, the department has lifted the temporary ban on the entry of the same commodities from Germany, France and Spain, in separate orders since the start of this year.

 

The department removed the ban on the said countries after they all successfully eradicated avian influenza.