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Aquatic birds import from Asia banned

DUBAI — Falcons imported into the Middle East from East Asian countries are not disease free and can pose risk of bringing avian flu in the region, according to a report by the Paris-based Organisation of International Epizootics (OIE).

The report states, there is only one way for the disease to come to the Middle East countries, which is through import of birds from the infected countries in South East and East Asian countries, “But, this may not be possible because of the ban imposed by the UAE and other Middle east countries on imports of birds from these countries. However, the falcons imported into the Middle East from the east is not disease free.”

The UAE yesterday decided to ban the import of aquatic birds from Asia as part of measures to prevent a possible outbreak of the deadly bird flu virus. “The ministry of agriculture and fishing wealth decided to prevent the import of all aquatic birds and their products.”

The ministry also banned “temporarily the import of all non-poultry wild birds and domestic birds from all Asian countries, and until forther notice”.

Poultry could still be imported from Asian countries, but only “with a veterinary health certificate issued from a laboratory stating that the product has been tested for bird flu not more than 15 days before shipment”.

The decree said the measures were taken in line with recommendations from the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

The latest outbreak of bird flu was detected in South Korea in December 2003. It has now hit 11 countries; with the H5N1 strain of the virus killing a total of 63 people in Southeast Asia and the financial damage is estimated to be 10 billion dollars. The disease is still spreading since its first appearance in the end of 2003 and WHO fears a possible pandemic if the virus mutates and becomes more easily communicable to humans.

As a result, OIE has suggested necessary measures to be taken to prevent the disease from spreading by not allowing the falcons to leave or re-enter the gulf countries with hunted birds. Strict measures to ban wild hunting in countries with wild bird hunting was suggested, in addition to a law enforcing ban on hunting of wild birds, as well as cooperation with concerned international organisations.