KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources Affairs (PAAFRA) has banned the importation of ruminants from Saudi Arabia due to foot and mouth disease. These include cattle, sheep, goats, deer, giraffes, antelopes, and camels. The decision also includes a temporary banning importation of all live birds from Portugal due to West Nile fever as well as all species of ruminants from France and Canada banned due to the emergence of bluetongue disease, Deputy Director of PAAF Hanadi Bastaki said in statement.

The decision also temporarily banned the importation of Equidae family from the Republic of Panama due to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord disease as the import of all ruminants from Slovenia banned due to the spread of mad cow disease, Bastaki added. Bastaki stressed the need that all animals shall be subject to conditions and regulations issued by the Animal Health Department of PAAF and according to the procedures of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the Veterinary Quarantine in the GCC as well as procedures prescribed by regulation quarantine system in Kuwait. - KUNA