August 14, 2007

Peru bans British meat on FMD outbreak

Peru banned imports of fresh and frozen meat from UK for a period of 180 days due to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) detected there, according to local media.

The ban also includes imports of live cattle, pigs and sheep, other live ruminant animals, embryos or semen from animals susceptible to the FMD virus. The imports of fodder and hay are also temporarily embargoed.

The measure targets to protect Peruvian animal breeders from possible transmission of FMD virus in the country from UK. UK has confirmed FMD outbreak on August 4, in Surrey county, southeast England. The country suffered greatly from the previous FMD outbreak in 2001.

FMD is a highly contagious, variable and transmissible viral virus which infects mainly cattle and pigs, and rarely humans.