KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition stressed the need to take preventive measures by holding melon shipments arriving from Australia for further tests to make sure they are free of listeria. In an administrative directive it issued, the authority explained that the Australian consulate in Kuwait stressed that Australian authorities are investigating the spread of listeria monocytogenes in melons planted in a farm in New South Wales, adding that preventive measures had to be taken with all Australian melon shipments.

No extension

Kuwait Municipality's Public Relations Manager Abdul Mohsen Abalkhail stressed that removing spring camps will start as scheduled by mid-March and strongly denied any plans to extend the period. He also noted that Municipality machinery and labor had already started preparations to remove camps that remain beyond this period. Abalkhail said approval from the Environment Public Authority (EPA) is needed to refund the KD 300 deposit paid by campers and stressed that EPA will need to notify the Municipality that the vacated site is clean.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi