The United States has enacted import restrictions on certain poultry products from Victoria, Australia, following the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, in local birds.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Friday that these restrictions, effective from May 22, will remain in place until further notice.
According to the U.S. department, unprocessed avian products and byproducts originating from or passing through the State of Victoria are now barred from entry into the United States.
The ban extends to imports of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, and hatching eggs. However, pet and zoo birds may still be imported if they have an import permit and undergo a 30-day quarantine period.
Earlier this week, Australia reported its first human case of avian influenza in a child who contracted the virus in India but has since fully recovered. Additionally, a different highly contagious strain of the virus was identified on an egg farm in Australia.
The spread of avian influenza to humans and other mammals, including U.S. dairy cattle in March, has raised alarms about the potential for the virus to mutate into a form that could be transmissible between humans, possibly leading to a pandemic.
Despite these concerns, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that the risk to the general public remains low.
Since 2022, the bird flu outbreak in the U.S. has affected over 90 million chickens, 9,000 wild birds, 52 dairy herds, and three individuals.
In April, Colombia became the first country to impose restrictions on the import of beef and beef products from U.S. states where dairy cows tested positive for bird flu, highlighting the expanding economic ramifications of the virus.
Victoria experienced an H7N7 bird flu outbreak in 2020, which was the most recent of Australia’s nine bird flu outbreaks since 1976. All previous outbreaks were swiftly contained and eradicated, according to the Australian government.
