Posted on: Friday, September 27, 2002

State approves emergency rules on bird imports

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer

The state Board of Agriculture yesterday approved emergency rules that will place new limits on imported birds to help reduce the threat of West Nile virus being introduced in Hawai'i.

The disease has not been found in Hawai'i but is spreading on the Mainland, causing 108 deaths so far this year. It is transmitted by mosquitoes.

The board took action at its meeting in Hilo. Dr. Jason Moniz estimates that about 750 birds a month would be affected by the new rules. Moniz said the state inspects about 9,000 birds each year, not including hatching eggs, day-old chicks and chickens older than four weeks, which are exempt from these regulations.

The rules call for all birds and poultry to be accompanied by an emergency rule import permit issued by the state veterinarian, to enter the state through Honolulu International Airport and be presented for inspection at the airport quarantine holding facility.

In addition, the new rules call for:

• All affected birds to be isolated in a mosquito-free, mosquito-proof enclosure under the supervision of an accredited veterinarian for a minimum of seven days and enter the state within 36 hours of that quarantine, or;

• If the bird is from a state that has not identified the virus in birds or mosquitoes, the bird must be certified by a veterinarian issuing the health certificate as having resided there for seven days or have been isolated from other birds or mosquitoes under a veterinarian's supervision for seven days and entering Hawa'i within 72 hours of that isolation, or;

• A bird must be tested for virus antibodies 30 to 180 days before entry. A negative test will trigger the seven-day isolation while a positive test will allow direct shipment.

Moniz said he expects the rules to be in place in about a week.

Failure to meet the requirements will result in the bird being refused entry.