Russia bans Dutch and US poultries
August 21, 2006 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Russia bans poultry imports from both the Netherlands and the USA, following reports that low-pathogenic avian flu viruses have been separetely identified in birds from the two countries.
A low pathogenic bird flu H7 strain was found at a large poultry farm in the Netherlands early August, and Dutch authorities quickly moved to prevent spread of the disease. Last week, two mute wild swans from the Lake Erie Michigan area were identified to carry two separate strains – an H5 and an H1, but investigators say they don’t necessarily fit together to form the dreaded H5N1 subtype.
According to Reuters Alert, Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev told the Interfax News Agency, “we must make sure that this dangerous infection will not be brought into Russia along with poultry meat imports.” Last year, Russia imported 811,900 ton of poultry meat from the US.
I wonder if I should stop eating US poultry meat because two wild swans have the low-pathogenic bird flu? Duh.
Tags: avian flu, Europe, low-pathogenic bird flu, Netherlands, poultry, poultry industry, USA
