26 March 2026: Outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Chile
Updated 27 March 2026
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OVS note number: 2026/20
Date: 26 March 2026
Purpose
To inform you that, due to a recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Chile, consignments from Talagante province of the following commodities should be held:
- live poultry and ratites (including day old chicks)
- hatching eggs of poultry and ratites
- fresh poultry meat, ratite meat and wild game bird meat
- meat products of poultry, farmed feathered game and wild game birds that have not been subject to treatment ‘D’ or higher (i.e. treatments ‘D’, ‘C’ or ‘B’, as defined in Annex 1)
Background
Chile’s competent authorities have reported an outbreak of HPAI on their government website, affecting laying birds within an industrial facility in Talagante province.
As per the regionalisation protocol agreed in 2023, Chile is subject to regionalisation at province level for exports of poultry and poultry products to Great Britain. This means that only Talagante province is no longer considered free from HPAI.
The UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance intends to update its approved third country lists to temporarily suspend imports of the following susceptible commodities from Talagante province:
- live poultry and ratites (including day old chicks)
- hatching eggs of poultry and ratites
- fresh poultry meat, ratite meat and wild game bird meat
- meat products from poultry, farmed feathered game and wild game birds that have not been subject to treatment ‘D’ or higher (i.e. treatments ‘D’, ‘C’ or ‘B’, as defined in Annex 1)
A separate OVS note will be issued when these restrictions have been implemented. In the meantime, any consignments from Talagante province of the above-mentioned commodities should be held.
Contact point for enquiries
Email: imports@apha.gov.uk
Imports and EU Trade Team
Annex 1
Meat products intended for human consumption – acceptable risk mitigating treatments
See (Annex II, Part 4 of Assimilated Decision 2007/777).
B) Treatment in a hermetically sealed container to an Fo value of 3 or more.
C) A minimum temperature of 80°C which must be reached throughout the meat and/or stomachs, bladders and intestines during the processing of the meat product and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines.
D) A minimum temperature of 70°C which must be reached throughout the meat and/or stomachs, bladders and intestines during the processing of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines.