The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday issued a ban on the import of live birds from the Netherlands where an outbreak of H5N8 avian flu was confirmed, UAE state news agency WAM reported.
“Based on a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health of the H5N8 outbreak in the Flevoland province of the Netherlands, the ban includes all “non-heat-treated by-products” of live birds.
“We also ban ornamental birds, chicks and hatching eggs,’’ the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said.
The report said that the outbreak led so far to destroying more than 150,000 chickens in the province.
However, the ministry said that thermally treated poultry products (meat and eggs) from all parts of the Netherlands have been cleared for import to the Gulf Arab state.
Majid Sultan Al-Qassimi, assistant Under-Secretary for the Food Diversity Sector of the ministry said that “in doing so, the ministry prevents bird flu and related risks.
“It is a way of preventing the bird flu impacts on the country’s poultry health and safety, in addition to protecting public health and well-being.
“Samples of food products from shipments are transferred to laboratories for necessary tests to ensure they are safe and fit to enter the country,” the ministry said.
On Dec. 24, 2017, the UAE imposed another ban on poultry import from Saudi Arabia following a reported outbreak of H5N8 in Saudi capital of Riyadh.
Similarly, Food safety authority of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday said it has suspended the importation of poultry products from Landes Department in southwestern France over an outbreak of bird flu. (Xinhua/NAN)