Bird
flu: China bans import of poultry from Britain
16 February 2007
Mumbai:
China has banned import of poultry and poultry products
from Britain and has asked authorities to either return
or destroy all imported meat to prevent the spread of
bird flu in the country.
Britain
reported a bird flu outbreak at a Suffolk farm earlier
this month, leading to the culling of 2,600 turkeys.
It was the first time the deadly H5N1 strain had been
found on a British farm.
A
circular issued by China's agriculture ministry said
poultry and poultry products imported from Britain from
January 13 onwards will be returned or destroyed, while
illegal imports will be destroyed under the supervision
of quarantine officials.
The
ministry has asked quarantine departments to intensify
inspections to prevent the entry of bird flu virus into
China.
China
has reported nearly 30 cases of bird flu last year,
which resulted in the mass culling of millions of poultry.
China
reported one case of human infection of bird flu in
January 2006 and seven in 2005. The country has reported
at least 14 deaths from the H5N1 infection in humans.
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