Cook Islands temporarily suspended imports of poultry products from New Zealand following a bird flu outbreak on a single farm, but has resumed imports from unaffected regions with additional safety measures.

Ministry of Agriculture took the precaution of suspending imports of live day-old chicks, eggs and chicken-related products from New Zealand when an Otago free-range farm became infected with bird flu in early December.

The farm – Mainland Poultry's Hillgrove site – was last week confirmed as free of the disease after approximately 200,000 birds were culled following the discovery of the H-7-N-6 strain there.

Secretary of Agriculture Temarama Anguna said that on December 2, the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) officially notified the Ministry of Agriculture of a confirmed outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu). 

“The H7N6 strain was detected at a commercial free-range egg farm in Hillgrove, Otago. At this stage, this is the only farm where H7N6 has been identified,” Anguna said.

“It is important to note that this strain is not the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, which has caused significant impacts on poultry, wild birds, and mammals in other parts of the world.”

MPI then issued an official notification to trading partners, along with a detailed fact sheet, both of which were shared with key stakeholders in the Cook Islands – CITC, Prime Foods and the local egg producers, ensuring they remain fully informed of the situation, Anguna said.

Local importers were briefed and were able to access timely updates through their New Zealand-based partners following MPI’s public announcement.

“As part of our precautionary measures, the Cook Islands suspended imports of live day-old chicks, eggs and chicken-related products from New Zealand,” Anguna said.

“To date, MPI have confirmed that no risk products from the affected farm had been exported, however, it advised trading partners to conduct their own assessments regarding the continued acceptability of any poultry products certified prior to the suspension.”

Notably, products produced after October 26 and certified in good faith before December 2 remain valid under MPI’s certification.

“The Cook Islands will continue to allow the importation of chicken products from regions outside Otago that remain unaffected by the suspension,” Anguna said.

“Such products must meet additional health requirements, including undergoing a World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)-recognised treatment to ensure avian influenza freedom certification as directed by MPI.

“The Ministry of Agriculture continues to monitor the situation closely and is committed to safeguarding the Cook Islands’ biosecurity and public health.”

According to RNZ, the Mainland Poultry’s Hillgrove site became infected with bird flu in December.

Laying hens foraging outside were thought to have been infected through a low pathogenic virus from wild waterfowl.

MPI chief veterinary officer Mary van Andel said thousands of samples were taken at the end of the incubation period.

“On Sunday (December 22), we took about 4300 samples from 36 flocks across five farms linked to Mainland's Hillgrove layer property, where HPAI H7N6 was confirmed earlier this month, to coincide with the end of the full incubation period for the virus and none returned positive results,” Dr van Andel said.

“It is a significant number of tests and gives us confidence that this virus has been contained to just the one property and that we are on track to stamp out this disease.”
Dr van Andel said the Hillgrove site remained under a strict biosecurity lockdown as it underwent cleaning and decontamination.

“The response effort will continue into the New Year with work to clean and decontaminate the Hillgrove site taking place over a number of weeks. It needs to be done carefully to ensure all traces of the virus have been removed.”

Dr van Andel said the clear incubation period testing will help ongoing discussions with trading partners regarding New Zealand poultry exports and highlights the benefit of responding quickly to the bird flu find alongside industry.

“I want to acknowledge Mainland Poultry for working closely with us to stamp this out.

“MPI has had more than 200 people working on this response and the quick work to depopulate the approximately 200,000 chickens at Hillgrove, was the right decision.

“In total we've carried out more than 5600 tests on samples and bird flu has not been found anywhere other than Hillgrove.

“We’re in close contact with relevant trade partners and to date, we’ve reached agreement with Australia to continue the export of some poultry products, including chicken meat, dried pet food, and dog rolls that meet avian influenza heat treatment requirements, worth more than $50 million.

“It's important to note that while there are common elements across markets, solutions are agreed with each country.”

• Rashneel Kumar/RNZ