The United States and Mexico have implemented additional precautions at ports and airports after African Swine Fever was detected for the first time this week in the Dominican Republic.
The Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed two cases in samples collected through an existing cooperative surveillance program.
The Dominican Republic and Haiti share one Caribbean island east of Cuba, located a few hundred kilometers southeast of the U.S. mainland. The United States and Mexico have now taken drastic security measures to prevent ASF from entering the United States.
Imports of pork products from the Dominican Republic are currently banned due to a transport ban and other restrictions. In addition, the U.S. and Mexico are conducting extra inspections at airports on flights arriving from the Dominican Republic to ensure that passengers do not bring prohibited meat products and food items into the country. Aircraft must take their waste back to the country from which they arrived.
Reuters reported yesterday that Mexican officials are also strengthening inspections and border crossings at all ports. They will also increase control of kitchens and waste on commercial cruise ships; these ships are also prohibited from discharging waste containing food residues ashore.
The USDA has offered assistance to the Dominican Republic and Haiti in managing ASF. Measures are also being taken within the U.S. pork industry to prevent the swine fever from entering the United States.