Manila, Feb. 20 -- Four more US states are included in the temporary import ban of poultry products to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday.

This came following reported outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu in Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, confirmed by the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on Feb. 3.

Under Memorandum Order 11, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the "suspension of processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC)" on poultry products from the four US states.

The temporary ban includes the import restriction of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and semen. ...