Philippines fear illegal bird imports could spread disease
October 3rd, 2006
Philippine’s Department of Agriculture, by its Bureau of Animal Industry, has issued warnings that the smuggling of poultry and poultry products could help spread the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. The announcement was made after some reports stated that the smuggling of exotic birds and poultry products from Indonesia’s North Sulawesi and Kalimantan provinces was intensifying in the southern Philippines. Indonesia is having real difficulties in fighting the disease so agriculture officials in the South of the Philippines have asked for assistance from the Coast Guard, Customs Office and Port Authority to closely monitor the poultry products being introduced into the country. Unlike other Asian countries, the Philippines has recorded no bird flu case in the last 3 years.