010554 Canada Eases Foot and Mouth Ban

Ottawa - Canada has relaxed restrictions on European Union imports due to foot and mouth disease, but will continue to lay out the disinfectant welcome mat for international travelers arriving on Canadian soil.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Friday lifted the ban on commercial imports of animals and food products from EU countries that have not had any cases of foot and mouth disease.

However, because individual travelers often visit several countries, the agency will continue safety measures put in place at all international airports in Canada, including disinfectant foot baths and a search dog for all international travelers.

“We should not get complacent, ever,” Frederique Moulin, veterinarian and national manager at the agency, said.

Fears the highly contagious disease could infect Canada's large cattle herd prompted Ottawa to ban EU imports of animals and animal products. Canada's last case of foot and mouth was in 1952.

All passengers arriving from Europe have to walk through disinfectant mats, while dogs prowl through luggage for possible contaminated material.

Warning posters and in-flight videos remind passengers arriving from abroad to abide by the restrictions.

The temporary suspension on imports, put in place March 13, was lifted Friday from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Finland, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Portugal and Luxembourg.

The import ban will continue to apply to Britain, Netherlands, Greece, France and Ireland, which have had confirmed cases of the disease.

Foot-and-mouth disease rarely infects humans and is not fatal to animals, but its presence has devastated Britain's livestock exports.

Infected animals develop blister-like sores in the mouth, hooves and elsewhere. The disease leaves them weakened and causes them to lose weight.

In Brazil, officials said Saturday they had discovered three new suspected outbreaks of the disease in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Hoping to create a buffer around the disease's epicenter, officials have vaccinated 4.1 million cattle in 25 cities near Brazil's border with Argentina and Uruguay and will start vaccinating the rest of the state's herd of 13 million next week.

Because of the outbreak, the EU, Chile, and several Arab countries suspended beef imports from Rio Grande do Sul.

In the Caribbean, the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico banned meat imports from Asia, South America, Europe and several Caribbean neighbors, including the Dutch territory of Aruba and the French island of Guadeloupe. Agriculture Secretary Fernando Toledo announced the ban during legislative hearings Friday, local newspapers reported.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com