China has banned the import of pet and wild birds from countries hit by the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu, as authorities try to prevent a large-scale new outbreak this spring, state media reported. The government has sent an emergency circular detailing the ban, ordering inspections at ports to keep wild and pet birds from entering the country. Licenses previously issued for the import of such birds from flu-afflicted countries have been revoked after France became the sixth EU state to confirm an H5N1 case and as Nigeria confirmed that the flu strain had spread there too.
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