MANILA (Xinhua): The Philippines has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from Sweden and the Czech Republic due to an outbreak of bird flu in those countries, the Philippine Department of Agriculture has said on Friday.

Domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs from the two European countries are prohibited from entering into the Philippines, according to two recent memorandum orders issued by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel.

Sweden and the Czech Republic reported a highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 outbreak on Jan 5 and Jan 30, respectively.

Laurel stressed the need to prevent the entry of the virus to protect the health of local poultry population.

"All shipments coming that are in transit before the official communication of this order shall be allowed provided that the products were slaughtered on or before Dec. 22, 2023," Laurel said.

Bird flu spreads among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. - Xinhua