The Philippines, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), has expanded its temporary ban on the importation of poultry products to three more American states to prevent the spread of bird flu in the country.

Under Memorandum Order (MO) No. 14, the DA orders the ban of domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Since January of this year, the agency has banned 10 states as the United States’ (US) poultry industry faces a worsening outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Similar to previous orders, Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania were included in the ban after several reports of bird flu affecting domestic birds.

The DA said the “rapid spread” of bird flu in a short period since the first laboratory detection necessitates a wider coverage of trade restrictions.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, via MO 14, said such a ban is crucial to curb the potential spread of the virus and protect the health of the local poultry population.

With this, Laurel has authorized the swift suspension of the processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import clearances for poultry products.

The import ban does not apply to shipments that were already in transit, loaded, and accepted at local ports, provided that they were slaughtered or produced 14 days before the first outbreak in the affected area.

Jay County in Indiana recorded its first outbreak on Jan. 3, followed by Suffolk County in New York on Jan. 17, and Dauphin County in Pennsylvania on Feb. 4.

If such products are not covered by this provision, veterinary quarantine officers and inspectors will stop and confiscate them across all major ports of entry.

Given the geographical land mass of the US, veterinary authorities of the Philippines and the US had a mutual agreement in 2016 that a state-wide ban shall only be imposed if there are three or more counties affected by HPAI in one state.

The three aforementioned states each had three or more counties affected by bird flu, as reflected in their official reports to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).

The DA has previously banned poultry imports from Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Maryland, and Missouri.

Bird-flu free

In a separate development, the DA has lifted the temporary ban on the importation of poultry products from France after all reported cases of bird flu have ended with resolved status and no additional outbreaks after Feb. 4.

Based on its evaluation, the risk of contamination from importing live poultry, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen is found to be “negligible.”

Additionally, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has assessed that the bird flu’s containment in France “appears to have been successful.”

“The lifting of the ban is expected to ease trade tensions and support the poultry industry, which has been adversely impacted by the restrictions,” the DA said.

In local affairs, it was announced on Wednesday, March 5, that Camarines Norte is free from bird flu following a successful containment campaign.

The DA said a single case of HPAI subtype H5N2 was reported last December at a backyard duck farm in the municipality of Talisay.

The local government swiftly implemented a control strategy that covered immediate depopulation of the affected farm, thorough cleaning and disinfection, movement restrictions, and enhanced surveillance.

After 28 days without new cases, the province has met the WOAH’s criteria to regain its bird flu-free status.

According to the WOAH, the HPAI virus can spread through direct contact with secretions from infected birds through feces, as well as contaminated feed and water.

Due to its resilient nature—especially the ability to survive for long periods in low temperatures—the virus can be carried on farm equipment, allowing it to spread easily from farm to farm.