20 October 2023
Further to the announcement on 17 October that a prohibition had been introduced on the import of certain poultry products from South Africa, the date for the prohibition on the import of these products by air has been amended so that it takes effect from 23 October.
This means that the conditions of the prohibitions are as follows:
| Product | Territory originating from, produced in, OR repackaged in | Prohibition | Date |
| Live poultry | South Africa | Prohibited | By air: 23 October 2023 By sea: After departure of Voyage 5 of Maria da Paz |
| Bird eggs whether entire or without shell | South Africa | Prohibited | By air: 23 October 2023 By sea: After departure of Voyage 5 of Maria da Paz |
| Raw meat of all bird species | South Africa | Prohibited | By air: 23 October 2023 By sea: After departure of Voyage 5 of Maria da Paz |
| Raw offal of all bird species | South Africa | Prohibited | By air: 23 October 2023 By sea: After departure of Voyage 5 of Maria da Paz |
The ban does not include commercially packaged pre-cooked chicken or cooked chicken products such as may be included as an ingredient in canned goods, pizzas, pies etc.
At this time there is no prohibition on imports of these products from territories other than South Africa.
If you require further information please contact:
- Biosecurity Officer, Julie Balchin, via email through Julie.balchin@sainthelena.gov.sh or
- Agricultural Development Officer, Andrea Timm, via email through andy.timm@sainthelena.gov.sh
Alternatively, both officers can be contacted on telephone 24724.
Note to Editors
A statement from the South African Government on 25 September 2023 indicated that up to the 21 September 2023, a total of 50 H7 and 10 HPAI H5 reports have been confirmed. New cases are being reported in all types of commercial chicken in the provinces of Kwazulu-Natal, Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West respectively. Gauteng Province has being the hardest hit, with HPAI H7 outbreaks and the Western Cape is the hardest hit with regards to the HPAI H5 strain. The natural reservoir of the viruses are the aquatic birds such as shore birds, waders and sea birds and these are largely unaffected.
There have been HPAI outbreaks of significance in South Africa in 2017 and 2021 of the N1 and H5N8 strains. This H5N8 strain has never been known to infect humans. The H5N1 has infected humans, but it is extremely rare to do so. In fact since 2003 there have only ever been 700 cases, and these were mostly in communities where people have closely cohabited with their infected poultry, and from the cultural consumption of raw chicken meat and even blood.
#StHelena #AvianFlu