Philippines has lifted the temporary ban on the importation of poultry and other poultry from Taiwan after global animal health authorities confirmed that the country is free of the bird flu virus.
The ban has been lifted on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products - including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen, from Taiwan.
Taiwan had imposed the ban in April this year after an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza of the strain H5N2 was identified in Tainan, Taiwan, in February. The outbreak was notified to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in March 2012.
The lifting of the ban comes after it was confirmed that disinfection of affected premises was completed in May 2012, and that no further cases were reported in Taiwan.
