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In our notification G/SPS/N/SGP/26/Add.1 of
4 February 2013, AVA notified that Singapore would use the terms
"notifiable avian influenza" (NAI) for import of birds, poultry and
poultry products to Singapore, in line with Chapter 10.4 of the Terrestrial
Animal Health Code (TAHC). However, since the 81st OIE General
Session in May 2013, OIE revised the terminology used in the TAHC to
"infection with avian influenza viruses" only, dropping the term
"notifiable".
Singapore will similarly revise the veterinary conditions for import of
birds, poultry and poultry products to drop the term "notifiable",
and reduce the country freedom period from HPAI and LPAI to three (3) months
after a stamping out policy (including disinfection of all affected
establishments) is applied.
Singapore's import policy remains unchanged, which is to restrict imports
from countries with AI outbreaks caused by any influenza A viruses which are
notifiable to OIE, as well as in the country of export. This includes all viruses
of the H5 or H7 subtypes or by any AI virus with an intravenous pathogenicity
index (IVPI) greater than 1.2. This is in accordance with Chapter 10.4 of the
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
The current veterinary condition pertaining
to AI is as follows:
1.
"the
country has been free from notifiable avian influenza (NAI) for the past six
(6) months prior to export";
and will be revised to include the
following:
1.
"Highly
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and H5 and H7 low pathogenicity avian
influenza (LPAI) are notifiable diseases in the country of export";
2.
"the
country has been free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) for the
past three (3) months prior to export"; and
3.
"the
country has been free from low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) of the H5
and H7 subtypes for the past three (3) months prior to export".
We will be accepting comments for a period
of sixty days from the date of circulation of this notification. The proposed
date of entry into force is 1 September 2014.
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