Mideast health authorities sought to contain the damage from the importation of foot-and-mouth disease-infected cows to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday as Argentina reported two new outbreaks in its cattle-ranching heartland.
Eight cows imported into the UAE were found to have the disease, the daily al-Khaleej reported on Wednesday. The UAE cases were "limited and contained," according to UAE Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Saeed al-Ragabani.
The official Saudi Press Agency said two calves had been diagnosed with the highly contagious disease in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. The cases were the first to be found in the Gulf states, which import most of their meat.
In Argentina, where the Farming and Food Health Agency confirmed an outbreak of the disease in Buenos Aires province on Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday they had discovered two new outbreaks in the nation's cattle-ranching heartland.
Countries around the world were stepping up efforts to stay free of the disease, banning meat and grain imports from the European Union and increasing checks on travellers from Europe.
The United States was one of a string of countries from Canada to Australia to halt imports of EU meat.
But Australia said yesterday it would ease its nearly worldwide ban on animal products.
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) said infant formula, Belgian chocolates, gelatines, commercial leather products, scoured wool and manufactured goods will be allowed into Australia, contrary to the blanket ban unveiled on Wednesday on all animal products from at-risk countries.
However, AQIS said it was not ready to remove whole countries from its import ban, saying more time was needed to assess risk on a country-to-country basis.
Japan said yesterday it would consider very carefully before taking similar action.
Britain is the epicentre of the latest outbreak of the disease. However, the British Government rebuffed demands yesterday to delay its election plans, saying restrictions on disease-free areas could soon be lifted as slaughter was stepped up.
But the outbreak showed no signs of abating yesterday, with three more cases confirmed.
(China Daily 03/16/2001)
