Major meat importer Russia will from Oct. 15 lift all remaining meat import bans related to the H1N1 virus as the risk of infection through food products is low, Rosselkhoznadzor its animal and plant health watchdog said Oct. 14.
The last remaining bans to be removed apply to live pigs and raw pork imports from Great Britain and three Japanese prefectures, as well as a tougher ban on all types of meat from Mexico, all Central American and some Caribbean states.
The watchdog said it would no longer impose bans on meat imports linked to the discovery of the virus in humans, but it may impose new bans if the virus was found in animals in exporter countries.
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Russia, worried by the spread of the H1N1 strain of the virus – also known as swine flu – started banning meat exports from various countries in April. Most of the bans have been lifted gradually.
Rosselkhoznadzor in August lifted a ban on meat imports from Florida, the last remaining U.S. state on which restrictions had been imposed over fears of the virus.
Russia has registered several hundred cases of the H1N1 virus in humans, Rosselkhoznadzor said.
