Government urged to withdraw all Thai poultry products

THE Government should withdraw all Thai poultry from the shop shelves, opposition parties said yesterday as fears grew over the bird flu which has killed seven people.

A former food minister said a full Department of State should be set up to tackle the growing threat posed to food safety and public health by various diseases. Ned O’Keeffe, Fianna Fail TD for Cork East, made the call as nine Asian countries were confirmed or believed to have cases of bird flu.

The outbreak has killed at least seven people and led to the slaughter or death of around 19 million chickens.