Armenia halts imports of vegetables from Europe
01.06.2011,
03:15
In a response to deadly outbreak of a virulent form of E. coli bacteria in cucumbers that has killed already 15 people in Europe, Armenian authorities have halted imports of vegetables from all European countries, Shushan Ghazarian, a spokeswoman for the
YEREVAN, May 31. / ARKA /. In a response to deadly outbreak of a virulent form of E. coli bacteria in cucumbers that has killed already 15 people in Europe, Armenian authorities have halted imports of vegetables from all European countries, Shushan Ghazarian, a spokeswoman for the State Food Security Service, told ARKA.
Earlier Russia has banned vegetable imports from Germany and Spain and said it may expand the ban to all European Union member states.
The outbreaks has also made more than 1,000 people ill in Germany as well as people from Spain, Sweden, Britain, Denmark, France and the Netherlands who had recently been in Germany. Most of the deaths have been in northern Germany. The E. coli pathogen has been identified on cucumbers imported from Spain, but it is not clear if they were contaminated there, during transport, or possibly in Germany.
Shushan Ghazarian said Armenia had banned import of cucumbers from Europe a month ago and after the outbreak of E.coli the authorities have banned import of all vegetables. Other foods from Europe are allowed into Armenia only after a careful examination at border check points, she said.
Babken Liloyan, head of the the State Food Security Service’s department in charge of public relations, said import of all phytogenic products from Spain was banned. He said the authorities banned also a month ago import of vegetables from Turkey.
The German government has identified the disease as hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of a type of E. coli known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The WHO said in a risk assessment that the HUS/STEC outbreak is one the largest in the world of its kind. HUS affects the blood, kidneys and, in severe cases, the nervous system and can be particularly serious for children and the elderly. -0-
Earlier Russia has banned vegetable imports from Germany and Spain and said it may expand the ban to all European Union member states.
The outbreaks has also made more than 1,000 people ill in Germany as well as people from Spain, Sweden, Britain, Denmark, France and the Netherlands who had recently been in Germany. Most of the deaths have been in northern Germany. The E. coli pathogen has been identified on cucumbers imported from Spain, but it is not clear if they were contaminated there, during transport, or possibly in Germany.
Shushan Ghazarian said Armenia had banned import of cucumbers from Europe a month ago and after the outbreak of E.coli the authorities have banned import of all vegetables. Other foods from Europe are allowed into Armenia only after a careful examination at border check points, she said.
Babken Liloyan, head of the the State Food Security Service’s department in charge of public relations, said import of all phytogenic products from Spain was banned. He said the authorities banned also a month ago import of vegetables from Turkey.
The German government has identified the disease as hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of a type of E. coli known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The WHO said in a risk assessment that the HUS/STEC outbreak is one the largest in the world of its kind. HUS affects the blood, kidneys and, in severe cases, the nervous system and can be particularly serious for children and the elderly. -0-
