Officials in several regions of China are placing bans on poultry imports from several areas over concerns about the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The Hong Kong Center for Food Safety has banned all poultry imports from a province in China that is dealing with a confirmed H5N6 outbreak of avian influenza. The protective measure will be in place for the next three months. The Center for Food Safety is also banning poultry imports from Japan and Poland, where the H5N8 strain of influenza has been confirmed. The Chinese city of Wuxi (wuhck-see’) is temporarily suspending poultry imports from an area located near Shanghai after reports of the H7N9 strain of HPAI were confirmed in recent weeks. Wuxi is next to a lake often used as a stop for migratory birds, which a Reuters report says are suspected of spreading the infection as they move farther north. At least seven humans in mainland China have been confirmed as infected in recent weeks, with two of them dying after H7N9 exposure.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.