November 29, 2006

 

Tight watch on Philippine chicken imports for bird flu

 

 

Philippine customs commissioner Napoleon Morales ordered Tuesday a tight watch on incoming poultry products following the outbreak of a deadly strain of bird flu in South Korea this week

 

The Manila Times Daily reported that Morales issued the order upon learning the importation of three million kilogrammes' of chicken by the Department of Agriculture and some poultry integrators that would arrive early December.

 

The order, he said, should ensure the source of the imported chicken, adding that the the country cannot afford risking the safety of the public and of the poultry industry.

 

He said Customs was closely coordinating with the agriculture and health departments and the Veterinary Quarantine Office on safety measures.

 

Morales has agreed to authorize agriculture and quarantine agents, accompanied by Customs personnel, to board and inspect ships loaded with imported frozen meat.

 

Ships found to be carrying poultry products from countries that have bird-flu outbreaks would not be allowed to dock and unload their cargo.

 

Quarantine officials, on the other hand, have provided Customs with implementing guidelines on how to prevent its spread as well as standard procedures in case of an outbreak.

 

Latest reports said South Korean quarantine officials have culled more than 200,000 poultry after an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu to keep the virus from spreading.

 

The outbreak had killed 6,700 chickens.

 

The virus is also deadly to humans. It has killed at least 153 people worldwide since it was discovered in late 2003.