Tuesday, June 06, 2006
BIRD FLU: EU BANS ALL ROMANIAN POULTRY IMPORTS
European Union veterinary experts have endorsed a proposal to extend an EU ban on live poultry from Romania to all poultry and poultry products from the country. The move follows the rapid spread of the highly pathenogenic H5N1 bird flu virus within Romania, where fresh outbreaks have been confirmed in recent weeks. Previous EU restrictions applied only to certain regions in Romania. The expanded ban will come into effect immediately, officials said.
“Romania is applying stringent eradication and control measures… supplementary biosecurity measures are in force in all 42 Romanian countries. However, outbreaks are still being detected and the situation in being closely monitored by the Commission,” the EU executive said in a statement.
Romania reported its first cases of the deadly H5N1 strain in October. It saw the virus subside and then reappear in May in farm birds in dozens of villages. Romanian authorities are investigating more than 20 people, including poultry farmers and vets, who have allegedly been involved with the deliberate sale of inflected meat.