Gabon bans poultry imports from Cameroon over bird flu outbreak

Gabon has banned all poultry and pig products from neighbouring Cameroon after confirmations of an outbreak of deadly bird flu virus on a poultry farm in Cameroon capital, Yaounde.

“Poultry products from Cameroon entering the country by any means are formally banned as a precaution.” Said Gabriel Tchango, Minister of Gabon’s Fisheries and Livestock

The Ban includes pet, wild birds, pigs and pork according to sources in Libreville.

Cameroon’s National Veterinary Laboratory (LANAVET) confirmed the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus strain killed 15,000 birds in the government-owned Mvog-Betsi poultry complex last week. The government slaughtered the remaining birds of the 33,000 fowls hosted in the complex hosted, to prevent further contamination reports Africa Review.

It also banned chicken sale in Yaoundé that has been officially declared “infected zone of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus” and the neighbouring towns.

According to Associated Press Livestock minister Dr. Taiga said one person is hospitalized and the country is taking measures to protect both people and birds from further contamination.