The Philippine government has lifted its ban against poultry products imported from Melbourne, Australia, after determining that the risk of avian influenza is "negligible," according to reports.
With the lifting of the ban, which was put in place after low pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5 was discovered on a duck farm, comes the resuming of import permits, said Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala. Disinfection of infected premises was completed on March 6, according to the official report from Australia's Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry, and no further reports of bird flu have been detected.
The Philippines is one of the few countries in Asia that remains free of bird flu.
