Namibia suspends poultry from Germany, Netherlands after bird flu outbreak

FILE PHOTO: Veterinarians vaccinate a goose against bird flu in the village of Kaikovo, some 20 km (12 miles) south of Minsk, March 29, 2010. Poultry near ponds are vaccinated every spring before migrant birds arrive, a veterinary official said. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko/File Photo

WINDHOEK — Namibia suspended imports of live poultry, birds, and poultry products from Germany and the Netherlands on Monday after outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu in the European countries.

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 October 1 in Germany and October 5 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 programs to contain the spread.