MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture has imposed a temporary ban on the import of both wild and domestic birds from Belgium after the European country reported an outbreak of bird flu.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued memorandum order 20 to prevent the entry of wild and domestic birds from Belgium, citing the need to safeguard the local poultry industry from the HPAI virus.

Belgian veterinary authorities informed the World Organization for Animal Health of an H5N1 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza outbreak in Sint-Niklaas, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaanderen.

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In addition to wild and domestic birds, the ban also covers avian products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.

Secretary Tiu Laurel further ordered the immediate suspension of the processing and evaluation of applications for sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for these agricultural goods.

Shipments from Belgium that were in transit, loaded, or accepted at the port before the official communication of the import ban will be allowed entry, provided the products were slaughtered or produced before February 3 of this year.

Shipments not meeting these conditions will either be sent back to Belgium, shipped to a third country, or seized and destroyed. Veterinary quarantine officers are required to confiscate all non-compliant shipments, except for heat-treated products.

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