24 May 2024
On 12 October 2023, following an ENRP veterinary risk assessment in respect of the ‘highly pathogenic avian influenza’ (HPAI) or ‘bird flu’ outbreaks in South Africa (SA), St Helena Government (SHG) put in place a prohibition to prevent the landing or importation of all poultry and poultry product imports originating from SA. This prohibition was established to prevent the introduction of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) disease into St Helena.
Since September 2023, SA has put in place biosecurity measures to limit the spread of the existing outbreaks and new outbreaks of the virus, and is monitoring this on a monthly basis by sampling poultry flocks for HPAI. This allows the country to establish what it calls NAI (Notifiable Avian Influenza) Free Compartments from which it will export live birds, poultry meat, and eggs.
Based on the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) reporting no new or ongoing HPAI cases in St Helena’s poultry since early January 2024, and considering the expected low HPAI activity for the next four to five months, ENRP’s risk assessment concludes that the risk of introducing HPAI through poultry and poultry product imports is currently extremely low.
Executive Council recently discussed a recent veterinary risk assessment provided for St Helena and agreed that the current prohibition on the import of poultry and poultry products originating from SA should be lifted. This removal of the prohibition took effect from Thursday 23 May 2024.
The situation will be monitored by ENRP as HPAI cases may begin to rise again in the future and St Helena may again need to prohibit such imports. Avian Influenza continues to be a challenge and is spread across the world, with new outbreaks having been reported in Antarctica recently for the first time.
The public and the island’s merchants are thanked for their cooperation in helping to protect our island during the period of the prohibition.
If you require further information please contact:
Portfolio Director, Darren Duncan, via email: darren.duncan@sainthelena.gov.sh or
Agricultural Development Officer, Andrea Timm, via email: andy.timm@sainthelena.gov.sh
Alternatively, both officers can be contacted on telephone 24724.
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