PUTRAJAYA – No Covid-19 contamination in meat products from India has been reported so far, said Veterinary Services Department (VSD) director-general Datuk Norlizan Mohd Noor.
He said the department had conducted laboratory tests on 400 food and livestock product samples since the pandemic hit the country, and the results were all negative.
“We have yet to decide whether to ban imports of meat and livestock from India due to two reasons, namely, meats imported to Malaysia only come from slaughterhouses approved by the government and they are constantly monitored.
“Secondly, scientifically, the Covid-19 virus cannot replicate in an animal cell and tests conducted on all imported products found that there was no contamination of the products and the packaging,” he said.
He said this after the launch of My Best Buy Aidilfitri programme by Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee here today.
It was reported that the government had agreed to impose a temporary ban on flights to and from India beginning April 28, to prevent the spread of a new variant of the Covid-19 disease in the country.
Earlier today, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said that only cargo flights from India were permitted to enter Malaysia since April 28.
Meanwhile, Norlizan said the VSD, together with the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Service Department (Maqis), would continue monitoring food and livestock products brought into the country.
“Each imported product will be inspected and have its sample tested at our laboratory,” he said.
He also advised the public not to worry about the safety of imported food and livestock products as they are constantly monitored by the authorities. – Bernama, May 3, 2021
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