"In Myanmar the agriculture sector accounts for more than half national employment and the poultry population is large and growing and had reached over 263 million by 2014 according to official national statistics. Demand for poultry products is not wholly satisfied by domestic production, however, resulting in value chain activity across international borders with concomitant risk of zoonotic disease incursion from neighbouring countries. FAO supports the Myanmar Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) to monitor virus entry risk from informal poultry imports across the China border. China has reported highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPA) caused by several influenza A virus subtypes, which has reported HPAI outbreaks with several influenza A subtypes. In 2009, the threat of new infectious disease recognized to extend beyond the risk posed by avian influenza, and the USAID launched a significant global programme on emerging pandemic threats referred to as EPT-1, that addressed pre-emergence, prevention and preparedness. Since 2007, FAO has worked in Myanmar with USAID support to enhance national capacity to prevent, detect and respond effectively to HPAI. Through this partnership, Myanmar’s capacity has been strengthened. FAO work in this particular area is of the highest importance considering that Myanmar has a very high annual rate of growth of animal product consumption. The large majority of poultry is kept in backyard or small-scale commercial systems. Sporadic HPAI outbreaks have been reported in Myanmar, the latest in March 2015. Myanmar is considered at high rish for incursion of avian influenza A (H7N9) from China. Since first being identified in 2013, H7N9 has resulted in more confirmed fatalities in people in China than H5N1 since 2003. The project builds on USAID-funded H7N9 prevention and preparedness activities initiated by FAO under a related project. It will operate within the framework of two programmes: Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT2) and the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)..."