Moldova bans animal product imports from Poland

The State Veterinary Service of Moldova banned the import of animals and animal products from Poland in order to prevent bird flu outbreaks. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry informs that two bird flu outbreaks, the H5N1 strain, were reported recently in the Polish region of Mazowieckie. In December the disease spread to three epidemiological units, the last outbreak being reported on December 10, 2007. About 5,440 birds were culled. The authorities say that the present epizootic situation in Moldova is stable. The state veterinary services are on the alert and they stepped up the supervisions and prevention measures. Earlier, Moldova banned the import of animal and animal products from Romania. The bird flu outbreak in Romania was discovered in a private epidemiologic unit in Tulcea, 125 kilometres from the border with Moldova.