Jamaica imposes restrictions on poultry from spots in North America due to bird flu outbreak

Jamaica has imposed import restrictions on poultry products from various spots in North America in the wake of a big outbreak of bird flu that has infected stocks.

The island's agriculture ministry says fresh and frozen poultry, hatching eggs and various by-products from U.S. states including Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri are restricted until further notice. Poultry imports from Canada's British Columbia were also restricted Thursday.

The government says the measures "are intended to safeguard the country's poultry and public health" from the H5N2 bird flu strain.

Numerous other countries have banned poultry imports from impacted areas. China stopped importing all U.S. poultry earlier this year.

The World Health Organization says avian influenza viruses can survive in contaminated raw poultry, so it's possible to spread them via fresh or frozen products.