China takes preventive steps against swine flu

Source: China Daily | 04-28-2009 10:44

BEIJING, April 28 -- The government Monday banned the import of pork and pork products from Mexico and the U.S. states of Texas, Kansas and California to prevent the spread of swine flu that has killed at least 100 people in the Central American country.

Staff members check the temperature of passengers with the  help of machines at Hong Kong International Airport in Hong  Kong, south China, April 27, 2009. Hong Kong Special  Administrative Region has taken measures to contain the  possible spread of swine flu.(Xinhua Photo)

All pork and pork products imported from Mexico and the three U.S. states will either be returned to the suppliers or destroyed, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ) said.

Though no swine flu case has been reported on the Chinese mainland, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has set up a working team to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and GAQSIQ to monitor the situation and deal with any emergency.

The MOH has sought the advise of scientists, too, who have done sequencing of the swine flu virus, and contacted the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. and Mexican governments to get the latest information on the epidemic.