May 28, 2020

Ireland temporarily suspends export of beef to China due to case of atypical BSE

Ireland has temporarily suspended the export of beef to China after a 14-year-old cow tested positive for atypical BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), RTE reported. BSE, also known as mad cow disease, is a neurologic disease of cattle.

The Department of Agriculture said suspension was voluntarily made in line with a protocol agreed upon with China.

The detection of the atypical BSE case, however, does not change or affect Ireland's current BSE risk status, which is "controlled risk" status, it was pointed out.

The agriculture department also stressed that there are no public health risks associated with this case, adding that it would discuss with Chinese authorities the result of an epidemiological report.

According to the RTE report, the last confirmed case of BSE occurred in Galway in 2017, which was also atypical and presented no public health issue.

Atypical BSE is one of two types of BSE, the other being classical BSE. Atypical BSE generally occurs in older cattle, usually 8 years old and above.

Exports to China had already been impacted by COVID-19, as per report.