In a belated and somewhat incomprehensible move the chief veterinary officer for Cuba has placed an embargo on all poultry products from North Carolina. This action results from the outbreak of low pathogenicity avian influenza diagnosed on eleven turkey farms. The asymptomatic cases were diagnosed on routine surveillance and flocks were depopulated and disposed of within days of confirmation of the diagnosis.
It is understood that Cuba would only embargo a county and not a state in the event of low pathogenicity avian influenza.
In any event resumption of supply would occur in mid-July given the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) period of 90 days from disposal of the last case. Subsequent to the outbreak, North Carolina veterinary authorities in cooperation with USDA-APHIS conducted intensive surveillance for the presence of avian influenza in the affected counties in North Carolina and in an adjacent county in South Carolina. No additional cases were identified.