MANILA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has imposed a temporary import ban on birds and poultry products from South Dakota of the United States due to an outbreak of bird flu, the Philippines' Department of Agriculture said Thursday.

In a memorandum dated Jan. 22, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel ordered the ban on importing domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen for artificial insemination from South Dakota.

According to the memo, South Dakota reported on Dec. 17 last year "several outbreaks" of a highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.

As an emergency measure, Laurel issued the memo directing the Bureau of Animal Industry to suspend the processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for importing domestic and wild birds from South Dakota.

The memo added, "All shipments coming from South Dakota that are in transit, loaded, or accepted unto port before the official communication of this order shall be allowed, provided that the products were slaughtered or produced on or before November 23, 2024."

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

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