No COVID-19 contamination detection in meat from India - DVS

PUTRAJAYA: No COVID-19 contamination in meat products from India has been reported so far, said Veterinary Services Department (DVS) director-general Datuk Dr Norlizan Mohd Noor.

He said the department had conducted laboratory tests on 400 food and livestock product samples since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country and the results turned out 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 will 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 the tests conducted on all the imported products found that there were no contamination of the products and the packaging," he said.

He said this to reporters after the launch of My Best Buy Aidilfitri programme by Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, here today.

It was previously reported that the government 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 Dr Wee Ka Siong said that only cargo flights from India were permitted to enter Malaysia since April 28.

Meanwhile, Norlizan said DVS together with the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Service Department (Maqis) would continue to monitor 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