Indonesia (13): livestock, spread, international impact

International impact: contaminated animal products detected in Australia
Date: Wed 20 Jul 2022
Source: Inside FMCG [edited]
https://insidefmcg.com.au/2022/07/20/foot-and-mouth-disease-found-in-australia/


Foot and mouth disease (FMD) [virus] -- an outbreak of which could devastate the nation's livestock industry -- has been detected in [goods imported into] Australia, agriculture minister Murray Watt has announced at a news conference. Watt has revealed that a traveller from Indonesia brought viral traces of FMD on an undeclared beef product into the country's airport. Traces of FMD were also found on imported pork products from China being sold in the Melbourne central business district.

Indonesia has been grappling with the spread of FMD after it was recently detected in Bali, a popular holiday destination for Australians. Because of this, the government has ramped up the country's biosecurity measures, and travellers arriving from Indonesia will now be asked to walk across sanitation foot mats laid down at airports. The mats will contain a citric acid solution designed to dislodge dirt from the shoe's sole and cover it in the acid.

FMD is a highly contagious animal disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats and pigs but does not pose a threat to humans. However, it can be carried on animal products, including meat and leather. Humans can also carry the disease on their shoes, clothes, and even noses -- where it can survive 24 hours.

Government modelling projects that a widespread FMD outbreak in Australia would have an estimated direct economic impact of around AUD 80 billion (~USD 55 billion).

"I am advised that all products now of this kind have been seized from all linked supermarkets and a warehouse in Melbourne as well," stated Watt. "At one level, these detections are very disturbing -- that we see the viral fragments, not a live virus but viral fragments, coming in via product. At another level, these detections show that our borders are strong and our biosecurity systems are working."

[byline: Kaycee Enerva]

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Australia: biosecurity measures
Date: Fri 22 Jul 2022
Source: ABC Rural, Australia [abridged, edited]
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-22/goverment-will-invoke-new-biosecurity-powers-amid-fmd-outbreak/101260310


The federal government has invoked new biosecurity powers at Australian airports as FMD spreads through Indonesia. Biosecurity response zones will be set up at international airports, and in the coming days every traveller returning from Indonesia will be compelled to use foot mats or take other directions regarding biosecurity.

At present, individual passengers deemed to be a risk need to be asked, and have to agree, to use foot mats and have their shoes cleaned. The new measures will make this process mandatory under a 3-month trial, but will only apply to those travellers returning from Indonesia. It is the first time the rules have been used since the 2015 Biosecurity Act was introduced. Federal agriculture minister Murray Watt said the changes were the latest measure in the strongest biosecurity response in Australia's history. "We have already announced an AUD 14 million (~USD 9.7 million) assistance package to reduce the risk of FMD spreading from Bali to Australia, which included increased detection and protection here in Australia and a million vaccines for the Indonesian cattle industry," Senator Watt said.

[byline: Kath Sullivan and Jeremy Story Carter]

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