After the Australian government detected foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and African swine fever virus fragments in imported meat, the latest regulations required that the soles of shoes needed to be washed at international airports when entering Australia.
Both diseases are already spreading in Asia, and if any one of australia's livestock contracts the disease, causing a widespread outbreak of the virus could cost the economy billions of dollars.
When Australian Agriculture Minister Murray Watt announced that citric foot mats would be introduced at the airport, biosecurity authorities had recently detected viral fragments of foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever in pork products through "routine retail surveillance".
"We found in supermarkets in Melbourne's CBD that fragments of foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever viruses were detected in the small amount of pork products imported from China that were being sold."
"In addition, several other retail pork products test positive for African swine fever virus."
"All such products have now been seized from the relevant supermarket and a warehouse in Melbourne."
This is not the first time fragments of African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease have been found in imported meat products from Australia, but it is the first time that a meat product with the virus has been found in a supermarket or retail store.
But unlike live viruses, these fragments pose no threat to human health, so there is still no foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever in Australia.
"We have always said that the import of animal products is actually the biggest risk of foot-and-mouth disease entering Australia. It is possible to be brought in by travelers wearing shoelaces, but the advice I have received so far is that the biggest risk is actually imported animal products. ”
"The first to be found to carry the virus was pork floss from a Melbourne supermarket. Out of great caution, the police confiscated the products from all connected supermarkets and a warehouse in Melbourne. ”
Comprehensive compilation/reprint: Cat Uncle Xu Chao