HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A resurgence of avian flu in the United States has prompted Guam Department of Agriculture officials to reinstate a ban on all live poultry and hatching egg imports.
A release from DOAG’s Animal Health Division on Nov. 29 said that last year the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed an outbreak of a “highly pathogenic Eurasian H5 strain of avian influenza on the East Coast.”
In response to the East Coast outbreak, DOAG in March 2022 implemented a temporary partial ban.
“The ban then rapidly extended to include all U.S. states except Hawaii, as (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) spread and devastated the poultry industry. By late spring to early summer, (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) cases subsided and on Aug. 10, 2023, DOAG was able to modify entry requirements from the mainland U.S. DOAG has continued to monitor possible resurgence of the virus in the mainland,” DOAG said.
In October, USDA officials saw a small spike, but in November a large spike was seen.
“A large spike of over 5 million birds has occurred, prompting an increased concern in an ongoing resurgence of avian influenza,” DOAG said.
While the USDA said the outbreak does not present a human health concern, to be safe DOAG reinstated the ban on live poultry and hatching eggs.
“The ban will remain in place until the spread of the virus subsides once again. This temporary ban applies to live poultry and hatching eggs only, as there is no threat from poultry commodities such as meat and eggs for consumption. The USDA has issued a reminder that the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria and viruses,” DOAG said.
A chicken walks along a fence Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Yona. Local agriculture officials issued a notice of a temporary ban on live poultry and hatching eggs.
