January 22, 2004

Brazil Bans Chicken Imports From Bird Flu Hit Countries

Brazil has banned the import of birds and bird byproducts from Japan, Vietnam and South Korea, the agriculture ministry said Wednesday.

The measure which took effect Friday, seeks to prevent the spread of avian flu to Brazil.

The bird flu ravaging poultry farms in Asia has killed five people, all in Vietnam, and millions of chickens.

There is no evidence, so far, of person-to-person transmission of the disease.

Jorge Caetano, a veterinarian with the agriculture ministry, said the measure was largely precautionary because none of the countries mentioned in the ban generally export birds or their byproducts to Brazil.

The ministry also that recommended Brazilian companies that work with chickens and other birds should limit visits by people who have recently been to countries where there have been outbreaks of the disease.

The ministry said they have also stepped up monitoring at the country's airports of baggage coming from the Asian nations.