New Zealand suspends poultry exports due to new strain of avian flu
Kyiv • UNN
A highly pathogenic h7n6 avian influenza virus has been detected on a poultry farm on the South Island of New Zealand. The country temporarily stops exporting poultry until the end of the 21-day incubation period.
New Zealand announced the suspension of poultry exports due to the detection of a highly pathogenic influenza virus, writes UNN with reference to Reuters.
Details
On the South Island of New Zealand, a highly pathogenic avian flu virus was detected on one of the poultry farms.
Tests have confirmed the H7 N6 subtype of avian flu, which is different from the H5N1 strain that has spread around the world and raised concerns about human transmission of the virus.
"Until we resolve the situation on this farm and if there are no problems anywhere else, we will be able to export again," Andrew Hoggard, Minister of biosafety and Food Safety, told Radio New Zealand after the announcement.
The minister also announced an incubation period of 21 days.
The New Zealand biosecurity Authority said there were no reports of other sick or dead birds at other poultry farms, and there were no concerns about human health or food safety.
"We take the discovery seriously... our tests show that it is not related to the H7 strain that was identified in Australia earlier this year," said Stuart Anderson, deputy director general of the New Zealand biosecurity division.
Recall
A resident of the UK was found to have the first case, according to the country's statistics, infection with a strain of influenza A(H1N2)v, similar to swine flu. The UK health agency (UKHSA) said the source of the infection is still unknown.
