The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted a ban on the entry of birds and poultry, including their byproducts, from Turkey.

DA said the lifting of the ban was made following official confirmation by global animal health authorities that the spread of avian influenza (AI) or bird flu viruses in that European country has stopped.

As of mid-June, the World Health Organization has reported 499 confirmed cases of bird flu and 295 fatalities from the disease since the H5N1 strain of the virus broke out in Southeast Asia in 2003 and spread to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

From 2003 to 2010, 63 countries reported AI cases in domestic poultry or wildlife.

In Asian countries like Indonesia, 136 deaths have been recorded while 26 fatalities from AI were reported in China, 17 in Thailand and 59 in Vietnam.

A report to the World Organization on Animal Health or the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) by Dr. Muzaffer Aydemir of Turkey showed that the incidence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been eradicated in areas infected since March 22, 2008.

The OIE's Terrestrial Animal Health Code specifies that a country or zone can be declared free of the AI virus if no outbreak is reported in the previous 12 months.

Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla lifted the ban after the OIE restored Turkey's avian-flu free status and the DA's Bureau of Plant Industry confirmed that the risk of contamination from importing poultry and poultry products from that country is negligible.

The Philippines along with Brunei and Singapore are the only AI-free countries in Southeast Asia.

The government currently has four avian flu testing facilities located in Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City and San Fernando City in Pampanga.

DA has also set up Community-Based Early Warning Systems (CBEWS) in barangays identified as in high risk of contracting the AI virus.

These CBEWs were established to orient Barangay AI Task Forces on the bird flu virus and the reporting process for AI suspects (both in poultry and humans) as well as the possible smuggling of poultry and exotic birds in their localities.

As part of Avian Influenza prevention, the DA through BAI has implemented the Applied Veterinary Epidemioloy Training (AVET) Program to strengthen the capacity of the field veterinary services, especially at the local level, in designing and managing disease surveillance, conducting outbreak investigation and effective outbreak containment measures.