Philippines Bans Bird Imports from Australia Due to Bird Flu Outbreak
The Philippines government has implemented a ban on the import of birds from Australia as the country continues to battle a bird flu outbreak. The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced the ban on domestic and wild birds from Australia, citing concerns over the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtypes H7N3 and H7N9.
Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer reported outbreaks of the virus to the World Organization for Animal Health, with confirmed cases in Meredith and Terang, Victoria. The ban, which took immediate effect, aims to prevent the entry of the HPAI virus to protect the local poultry population.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Memorandum Order No. 21, instructing the Bureau of Animal Industry to cease issuing Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances for imports of birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from Australia. The memorandum also outlined specific conditions for shipments that were in transit or accepted before the official communication of the order.
Australia was a significant supplier of chicken meat imports for the Philippines, providing 5,365 metric tons as of April 2024. Avian influenza primarily affects wild birds and poultry, with cases of human transmission being rare. The H7N9 strains of bird flu, first detected in 2013, have been linked to most cases of human illness from avian influenza.
