TEMPORARY REGIONAL *BAN ON POULTRY FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM*

Report filed by Leon Norville – News Reporter.

A temporary regional ban has immediately been placed on all poultry including chicken, duck, turkey, geese, guinea fowl, quail and squab imported from the United Kingdom. This includes all fresh, chilled, and frozen poultry products, live birds, and hatching eggs.
There has been an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Aivian Influenza (H5N8) in the UK and it has been decided by the CARICOM Chief Veterinary Officers that a regional ban be imposed on all poultry imports from the UK.

The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N8) is a strain of the avian influenza virus that can result in catastrophic effects to the poultry sector in Antigua and Barbuda and across the region. The virus has zoonotic potential meaning it can be spread between animals and human and is highly infectious.

CARICOM is taking this harmonized approach across the region to secure the poultry sector as research and analysis shows the virus is on trend to continue its spread; particularly due to the forthcoming winter season as flocks of wild birds migrate across the globe with the potential to spread the virus.

All importers of poultry meat were invited to a virtual emergency meeting held on Friday November 27 to discuss the ban and its potential effects.

During the ban, no import licenses will be granted by the Veterinary and Livestock Division to import poultry from the UK into Antigua and Barbuda. This approach will safeguard people, food, and the overall poultry sector of Antigua and Barbuda and by extension the region

Antiguan poultry importers are encouraged to utilize other markets such as the US and Brazil including local producers who can assist in filling this void created in the market.