 
  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/468 
3 March 2004 
 
 (04-0948) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
OUTBREAKS OF AVIAN DISEASES IN COUNTRIES THAT EXPORT 
 POULTRY AND POULTRY PRODUCTS TO MEXICO 
 
Communication from Mexico
 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 2 March 2004, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Mexico.  
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 1. Following the outbreaks on 5 and 12 February 2004 of the low-pathogenic H7N2 strain of 
avian influenza (AI) in the States of Delaware a nd New Jersey, respectively, in the United States of 
America (USA), the Government of Mexico, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural 
Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), has d ecided to ban tourist and commercial imports of 
poultry and poultry products and by-products from those States as from the date of the notification of 
those outbreaks.  
2. In view of the detection on 12 February 2004 of the presence of the low-pathogenic H2N2 
strain of the AI virus in the State of Pennsylva nia, USA, which has been  quarantined by SAGARPA 
since December 2001 consequent to the detection of the H7N2 strain of the virus, the ban on tourist 
and commercial imports of poultry and poultry produc ts and by-products from that State has been 
reaffirmed.   
3. On 23 February 2004, the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain of the AI virus was 
found in the State of Texas, USA.  This State was alr eady subject to restrictions due to the detection in 
April 2002 of the presence of the low-pathogenic H5N3  strain.  On this occasion, as a precautionary 
measure, SAGARPA has decided to ban touris t and commercial imports of poultry and poultry 
products and by-products from the USA, with the exception of products that are heat-processed at a 
temperature of 60°C for at least 10 minutes.  This ba n also applies to raw pr oducts intended for heat 
processing. 
4. Following the detection on 19 February 2004 of the presence of the low-pathogenic H7N2 
strain of the AI virus in the Province of British Columbia in Canada, a ban was placed on tourist and 
commercial imports of poultry and poultry products  and by-products from the affected Canadian 
Province. 
5. These decisions were notified immediately to the competent authorities of the affected 
countries and are now being implemented by the Ge neral Directorate of Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection of SAGARPA.   
 
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