Viral fragments of foot and mouth disease and African swine fever have been detected in pork products at a Melbourne retailer.
Australia remains free of the diseases as the live virus was not detected, but Agriculture Minister Murray Watt reiterated the importance of biosecurity measures.
The products, believed to be imported from China, were detected in the Melbourne CBD as part of routine surveillance and have been seized.
It’s the first time viral fragments have been detected in a retail setting, Senator Watt said.
“This is not the first time in Australian history that we have picked up foot and mouth disease viral fragments in meat products – it’s happened a number of other times in airport settings,” he told reporters in Brisbane….