The Department of Biosecurity Vanuatu has issued a ban on the imports of poultry products from Victoria, Australia as Avian Influenza hits poultry farms in Australia’s state of Victoria.

Dr Roger Philips from Biosecurity Vanuatu, says the Avian Influenza is a virus that affects poultry that is airborne and could spread quickly in crowded poultry farms.

He says therefore the Department of Biosecurity Vanuatu has acted quickly to protect Vanuatu’s border and stop the disease from entering the country.

“The ban is not only to protect large commercial poultry farms in Vanuatu but to also protect small scale poultry farms and our local breeds of chicken that are raised in the local communities,” Dr Philip said.

“We have to protect our border because this bird flu can become an economic disaster for the country.”

Dr Philips says the bird flu has been detected in Australia on 31 July and the authorities there issued warnings to the poultry importers and so the department has to put up a ban on poultry products imported from Victoria.

He says Avian Influenza can also infect other groups of birds like ducks and more.

He says the ban is only for imported poultry products from Victoria. Vanuatu importers can still import poultry products from other states in Australia like Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.

Dr Philip says the ban will be in effect until the state of Victoria is clear from Avian Influenza.