The Department of Agriculture said Wednesday it issued a temporary ban on the entry of poultry and poultry products from Poland following reports of an outbreak of H5N8 or the highly pathogenic avian influenza in Nakory, Suchozebry, Mazowiekie, Poland on Dec. 1.
It said the ban was based on the report of Dr. Bogdan Konopka, chief veterinary officer of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to the World Organization for Animal Health on Dec. 3.
The National Veterinary Research Institute based in Warsaw, Poland confirmed the outbreak upon assessment of affected fowls and birds from the said outbreak areas.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar ordered the Bureau of Animal Industry to desist from issuing import permits for Polish poultry and poultry products and day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.
Dar said all incoming poultry meat shipments with sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance issued on or before Dec. 8 would be allowed entry provided that frozen poultry meat are certified to have been processed 21 days prior to the outbreak, on or before Nov. 10.
All shipments that are non-compliant with the condition will be seized and confiscated upon entry in all major ports in the country, the department said.
“All shipments will be subject to veterinary quarantine rules and regulations,” the agency said.
The order will take effect immediately and will remain enforced unless revoked in writing, the department said.
Meanwhile, the DA earlier lifted the temporary ban on poultry imports from Hungary.
This followed the report submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture in Hungary to the OIE that the country is now free from bird flu.