The government of Sao Tome and Principe has banned the import of poultry and other animal products from Nigeria due to the outbreak of bird flu in its Gulf of Guinea neighbor.

According to reports reaching Luanda on Monday, Sao Tome's health officials announced the ban Saturday, saying the government was also setting up a technical team to draw up other preventive measures for the islands.

The director of the national veterinary department, Idalecio Barreto, told local media that, given the country's "fragile economic and technical" resources, Sao Tome was counting on foreign aid partners to help it stave off an outbreak of bird flu.

In another development, the Islands is combating a month-long cholera epidemic that has struck some 2,500 people, provoking 36 deaths.

Source: Xinhua