Iraq bans poultry imports from Iran following bird flu cases

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture has imposed a ban on the import of all types of poultry and birds from Iran following reports of bird flu infections in Iranian poultry, according to a statement released by the ministry.

The ban includes live and frozen poultry, eggs, ornamental and predatory birds, and all other poultry-related products.

“The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Veterinary Directorate, has intensified precautionary measures for bird flu monitoring and inspection teams, following Iran’s announcement of infections in poultry,” the statement said.

Director General of the Veterinary Directorate, Dr. Thamer Habib, instructed veterinary hospitals across all governorates to raise the highest levels of surveillance in poultry farms, household breeding, and bird markets.

He called on veterinary teams to “immediately report any suspected cases or deaths, and to send samples to central laboratories.”

He also stressed the importance of personal protective equipment and awareness efforts to prevent contact between migratory wild birds and domestic poultry.

He emphasized the role of security authorities at checkpoints in restricting poultry movement, requiring all transported birds to carry a veterinary health certificate confirming their safety.

The ministry stated that these measures aim to support the national economy and protect the poultry sector.

In late-May, 2024, the Salah Al-Din Provincial Council called on health, police, and civil defense departments to take necessary measures to control the spread of bird flu after a gull in the Ain al-Faras area tested positive for avian influenza (H5N1).

A large number of gulls were reported dead on May 10, 2024, in Sulaymaniyah’s Dukan Lake and Raparin’s Little Zap River. It took nearly two weeks before an outbreak of avian influenza among gulls was finally confirmed.

In July 2024, a viral outbreak spread across poultry farms in the Kurdistan region and Iraq, resulting in the deaths of thousands of chickens. The diseases identified are Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, and Gumboro disease.