Namibia suspends poultry from Germany, Netherlands after bird flu outbreak

Source: ©tawatchai prakobkit via 123RF

Germany reported the bird flu outbreak at a goose farm last week while commercial farms across the Netherlands were ordered to keep all poultry inside after an outbreak at a farm in the central province of Flevoland.

Namibia's veterinary services directorate said it had with immediate effect suspended the import and in-transit movement of live poultry, birds, raw poultry products, live ostriches and ostrich products from the two countries.

It said consignments of poultry products packed from 1 October in Germany and 5 October in the Netherlands would be rejected and returned or destroyed at a cost to the importer.

The risk to humans from the disease is considered low, but previous outbreaks among farm birds have resulted in extensive slaughtering programmes to contain the spread.