To prevent an outbreak of African swine fever in the country, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposes a temporary ban on the importation of processed pork meat products from Singapore. This also includes the sale and distribution of possible-contaminated products across the country.
Temporary Ban on Singapore’s Processed Pork Meat Products
FDA suggests that Singapore ranks 30th among other nations that Philippine authorities required an embargo on processed meat products because of African swine fever.
“In the interest of public health and coherent efforts in preventing the entry of the African swine fever virus, the FDA adopts the temporary banning on the importation, distribution, and sale of all processed pork meat products from Singapore,” FDA Order No. 2023-0790 signed by Director General Dr Samuel Zacate read.
Apart from Singapore, there are other countries covered by the previous FDA orders. It includes South Africa, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, Vietnam, Mongolia, Bulgaria, Zambia, Moldova, Russia, and China.
According to the order, the FDA wants to reaffirm that it doesn’t authorize the registration of processed pork meat products from the aforementioned ASF virus-affected countries. It also advises the public to be extremely cautious in the purchase and consumption of processed pork meat products.
ASF is an extremely communicable and fatal disease affecting swine regardless of age. It’s not a threat to human health and can’t be transmitted from pigs to humans.
Another ASF Outbreak Reported on Indonesian Island
There’s another ASF outbreak in Indonesia but on a different island and in Greece, according to Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Dr Paul Sundberg.
“There’s another outbreak that’s been identified in Greece. This is in a commercial farm in Greece versus the small production system that was infected in 2020. The assumption is, this is a spillover from wild boar that border next to Greece, and that continues to move down into Greece from Eastern Europe,” Sundberg said.
He said that fresh and frozen pork products, whether legal or illegal, have higher risks. If they get in contact with swine, there’s a possibility of ASF transmission in other free areas. Sundberg added that there are a few favourable progress and research for a safe and potent ASF vaccine. It showed to be safe in swine and effective in ceasing the outbreak.
Image Source: Lisucn Chuaoui Min Reuguae/WikimediaCommons
