April 29, 2009

Russia Tuesday (April 28) extended its ban on shipments of raw meat imports to the US states of New York and Ohio due to the spread of swine flu.

The country's veterinary and plant watchdog agency Rosselkhoznadzor also said that no raw or cooked meat can be carried in the personal luggage of passengers arriving from the US states and other countries hit by the virus.

The decision extends the initial ban issued Sunday on all meat types from Texas, California and Kansas, and raw pork from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida, as well as Central America and the Caribbean.

Rosselkhoznadzor officials said Monday the ban can be expanded with new discovered cases.

Most international health experts said the virus cannot be transmitted from pigs or pork meat that has been handled according to sanitary rules.

The US Embassy in Moscow said in a statement Tuesday that the US meat was safe.

"We understand the Russian veterinary service's concern and desire to be cautious and are working to answer all of their questions," the embassy said in a statement.

"Absence any risk to human or animal health, there is no basis for any import restrictions on US pork products related to concern over swine influenza."

Sergei Dankvert, the head of Rosselkhoznadzor, will meet Wednesday European Commission officials in Brussels to discuss the spread of swine flu and its effects on international trade.

Russia has no confirmed cases of swine flu.