May 8, 2009
Belarus suspends Polish pork imports on AH1N1 flu fears
Belarus Agriculture and Food Ministry said on Thursday (May 7) the country had suspended the imports of fresh pork from Poland after a reported case of AH1N1 flu in the country.
The ban excludes pork products which have undergone heat treatment at a temperature higher than 80 degrees Celsius.
Belarus has already prohibited pork imports from Mexico, the US, Costa Rica and a number of European countries.
Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) made it clear that there is no risk of contracting the infection from eating pig meat, some 20 countries have already issued bans on pork imports.
In Poland, the AH1N1 flu virus was identified in a 58-year old woman, who arrived on May 2 in Warsaw from the US city of Newark.
