WILLEMSTAD - In the Dominican Republic, African swine fever has been detected in salami. This was announced by the Curaçao Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN).
The virus was detected in the Dominican Republic in April 2021 and has since spread across the island. Bonaire and Curaçao have since intensified border controls.
The plague virus is not dangerous for humans, but for pigs the virus is highly contagious and deadly. “It is necessary to prevent the cattle on Curaçao from becoming infected,” the ministry emphasizes.
About 900 kilograms of pork from Santo Domingo is seized every year at Hato airport. The veterinary services in Curaçao and in the Netherlands make recommendations to prevent the virus from being imported to Curaçao.
It is prohibited to bring pork from the Dominican Republic. The ministry urges travelers to adhere to this.