On February 4th the US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) jointly announced a ban on the import of birds from Asia in order to prevent the introduction of avian influenza into US poultry flocks or the human population.
Bird flu has appeared in nine Asian nations, and about 50 million domesticated birds have been slaughtered as a means to contain further spread of the disease, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 18 human cases of the same flu strain resulting in 14 deaths, as of February 5.
The US restrictions on poultry imports from Asia will affect an estimated 20,000 birds arriving from countries currently experiencing avian flu outbreaks. The ban affects poultry and pet birds as well as avian products. Processed products derived from birds may avoid the ban with an import permit and government certification of proper treatment to render them non-infectious. The nations affected by the import ban are China (including Hong Kong), Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
