NEW YORK, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- The discovery of a flu-infected duck in British Columbia prompted U.S. agriculture officials to ban poultry imports from the Canadian province's mainland.
Canadian authorities found the virus in the infected duck was not the much-feared H5N1 strain that threatens to evolve into a pandemic, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
Besides the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan also banned poultry imports from mainland British Columbia Monday after Canadian officials reported finding a duck at a poultry farm was infected with avian flu.
The ban may be lifted soon.
"We're working with Canada right now to obtain more information to determine whether or not the ban can be scaled down in size or eliminated or if it needs to remain in place," said Jim Rogers, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman.
