SOFIA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria started to take serious precautions against the spread of swine flu to the country, the National Veterinary Service (NVS) announce Monday.
The Balkan country has stepped up border control on the import of foods of animal origin from countries outside the European Union, the NVS said.
Border policemen will check for pork products the hand luggage of all arrivals from Mexico, the United States, Canada and Japan.
The import of dairy and meat products for personal consumption from countries outside the EU will be banned with the exception of imports from Andorra, Croatia, the Fafoe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechetnstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland.
"Tightening veterinary control on the import of meat products from countries outside the EU is a precautionary measure," NVS director Yordan Voinov said. He said that no pork has been imported from countries outside the EU.
The true swine flu (H3N2 strain) exists in Bulgaria and is not a risk for human health. The viruses are destroyed during thermal treatment of the meat at temperature over 70 C. Anywhere, there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted in any way other than aerial, the NVS director is quoted as saying.
He also said that Bulgaria is awaiting the World Health Organization's position for uniform measures to curb the spreading of the disease.
The Bulgarian Health Ministry has urged Bulgarians traveling to North America to take extra precautions: seek up-to-date information on possible case of swine flu in the specific part of the U.S. they will be visiting, or get an anti-viral medicine.
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