After the Philippines confirmed the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in one of its provinces on Friday, August 11, the UAE issued an order banning the import of hatching eggs and all kinds of live domestic and wild birds from the country, as well as poultry meat products.
“The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCaE) took the following actions based on the notification from the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO) about the registration of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Republic of the Philippines,” Dr. Majid Sultan Al Qasimi, Director of the Animal Health and Development Department said in a statement issued on Monday, August 14.
The Philippine government is taking the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the Avian Influenza Type A Subtype H5 virus to nearby towns in Luzon and the rest of the country.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol announced on Monday the creation of a biosecurity team that will inspect all livestock and poultry farms nationwide.
“I will ask the BAI (Bureau of Animal Industry) to impose this in all farms, not only in Central Luzon, but all over the country. If you have a poultry farm, for example, you are automatically part of the investigation,” Piñol added.
The BAI is still waiting for the results of the laboratory testing done in Australia to determine whether the virus strain found in San Luis, Pampanga could affect humans, The Philippine Star quoted Dr. Arlene Vytiaco, head of BAI animal disease and control division, as saying.
Credit: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Website
