Accra, May 03, GNA - The Ministry of Trade and Industry has banned the importation of live birds, poultry and poultry products as well as poultry feed from Cote d'Ivoire following an outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in that country.

A statement signed by Mr Kodua Edjekumhene, Public Relations Officer for the Ministry on Wednesday said the ban was to protect human health and the national poultry industry.

It said the ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Iran; Nigeria; Turkey and Romania was still in force.

Other countries affected by the ban are 10 Asian countries, namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The statement said designated officers at the country's ports and entry points had been instructed to confiscate and destroy products imported from these countries.

It said inspection companies had also been advised not to issue Final Classification and Valuation Reports (FCVRs) for poultry and poultry products being imported from these countries. The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also know as Avian Influenza or Bird Flu, is highly contagious poultry disease that can be transmitted to humans by direct contact with infected live poultry. It causes widespread fatality of poultry and serious economic damage. 03 May 06