AlaskaDenise
In Memoriam
There is concern about some proposed pork imports to New Zealand.
There has been an outbreak of swine flu that has claimed up to 60 lives in Mexico and made eight people sick in the United States.
New Zealand Pork chief executive Sam McIvor says he has no advice on the swine flu from the government yet.
He says New Zealand Pork is concerned about whether there is any risk for transmission from meat to humans.
However The Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman Helen Keyes says New Zealand does not import live pigs or pork meat from Mexico or the United States.
Keyes says New Zealand has written provisional health standards for importing meat from the two countries but these have not yet been put in place.
The Agriculture Ministry says it will take Ministry of Health guidance on precautions needed for swine flu.
Meanwhile Ministry of Health is awaiting further information on swine flu before it responds to the outbreaks.
The Ministry says it is closely monitoring updates from the World Health Organisation about outbreaks of swine flu in the two countries.
It says normal border control procedures are in place.
The Ministry is keeping in contact with the World Health Organisation and says it will be following its advice.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/swine-flu-sparks-pork-import-concerns-2673951
There has been an outbreak of swine flu that has claimed up to 60 lives in Mexico and made eight people sick in the United States.
New Zealand Pork chief executive Sam McIvor says he has no advice on the swine flu from the government yet.
He says New Zealand Pork is concerned about whether there is any risk for transmission from meat to humans.
However The Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman Helen Keyes says New Zealand does not import live pigs or pork meat from Mexico or the United States.
Keyes says New Zealand has written provisional health standards for importing meat from the two countries but these have not yet been put in place.
The Agriculture Ministry says it will take Ministry of Health guidance on precautions needed for swine flu.
Meanwhile Ministry of Health is awaiting further information on swine flu before it responds to the outbreaks.
The Ministry says it is closely monitoring updates from the World Health Organisation about outbreaks of swine flu in the two countries.
It says normal border control procedures are in place.
The Ministry is keeping in contact with the World Health Organisation and says it will be following its advice.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/swine-flu-sparks-pork-import-concerns-2673951