Situation In Singapore
What is the Government
doing to prevent bird flu from entering Singapore?
The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has
banned imports of live poultry and birds, poultry meat and eggs
from countries affected by bird flu. It has also stepped up inspection
and testing of imported eggs and poultry at points of entry.
In addition, AVA officers have stepped up checks and surveillance
on our poultry farms and poultry slaughterhouses. Farms are required
to ensure that biosecurity measures (e.g., bird-proofing their poultry
houses, disinfecting their vehicles) are in place. Farm and slaughterhouse
employees have also been briefed on how to recognise signs of bird
flu, and are required to immediately report any unusual deaths or
suspicion of the disease. Lastly, farms have also stopped visits
from the public.
Is it safe to eat
chicken, eggs and other poultry?
Yes. The poultry and eggs available in the
market are safe to eat. There is no evidence that you can get bird
flu by eating chicken, eggs and other poultry products.
What about canned and
processed poultry products such as essence of chicken?
Yes, such food products are also safe to eat.
All canned products undergo a heat process that effectively destroys
any viruses.
Is it safe to
handle chickens, eggs and other poultry bought from the market or
supermarket?
Yes, it is safe to handle them. However, you
should still practise general food safety precautions such as separating
raw food from cooked food, and washing your hands after preparing
food.
Are there
guidelines to cooking poultry?
You should cook poultry meat thoroughly. This
will help kill any germs present.
Is it safe to consume
raw or half-boiled eggs, and semi-cooked meat?
You should eat food that is well cooked. Eating
any raw or semi-cooked food comes with an inherent food safety risk.
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