Malaysian poultry products banned by UAE after highly contagious virus outbreak

Thermally treated poultry products are exempt from the ban

A picture taken on August 1, 2017 in Putten, shows eggs at a poultry farm.
The farm has been shut down by the Dutch food and product safety board NVWA after fipronil was found in samples of eggs. The chemical is classed as a ‘moderately hazardous pesticide’ by the World Health Organisation. In the Netherlands it is banned in the poultry sector. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Robin van Lonkhuijsen / Netherlands OUT
Powered by automated translation

The import of live birds and poultry products from East Malaysia has been temporarily banned following the outbreak of a bird flu strain.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has implemented the ban following the discovery of a highly pathogenic strain of the H5N1 bird flu on a farm in eastern Malaysia. The ban includes chicks from the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.

Thermal treated poultry products will be permitted.

“Through taking immediate precautionary measures to curb any strains of the bird flu virus that has affected East Malaysia from reaching the UAE, the ministry hopes to ensure bio-security levels and prevent the spread of pathogens in the country,” said Dr Majid Al Qassimi, the assistant undersecretary of the ministry’s food diversity sector.

“We are confident such efforts will mitigate the impact of the bird flu on the UAE’s poultry health and safety, in addition to protecting public health and well-being.”

The government has temporarily banned of birds and eggs from Russia, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Bulgaria in the last twelve months based on international recommendations.

The World Organisation for Animal Health said on June 6 that Malaysia had an outbreak of the virus in the state of Sabah.

____________

Read more:

Virus outbreak prompts Russian bird ban in the UAE

Netherlands chicken and egg imports latest to be banned by UAE

UAE bans chicken and egg imports from Saudi Arabia 

____________