The Philippines bans UK meat

The move shows that worldwide fears over the disease are not abating, despite the announcement that the ban on animal movement is being relaxed in the UK. The order in the Philippines, issued by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, forbids "the importation of FMD susceptible animals, their products and by-products originating from the United Kingdom."​ According to local news paper Global Nation, The Philippines has imported around 227,000 kilograms of pork products from the United Kingdom so far this year, and recalls are now being carried out across the industry. UK beef is already banned in The Philippines due to concerns over mad cow disease, Arthur Yap reportedly said. FMD is an acute infectious disease which causes fever and blisters, especially in the mouth and on the feet. It spreads through contact with the saliva, milk, dung or blood of infected animals, as well as by the movement of animals, humans and vehicles that have been in contact with the virus. Although rare in humans, FMD causes loss of milk yield, mastitis, sterility and chronic lameness in livestock. There is no cure for the disease, so slaughter is the only control policy available to farmers, a necessary measure because widespread disease throughout the UK would cause significant welfare problems, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. Other countries that have banned British Beef this week include South Korea, Japan, South Africa, the US and the EU. The ban on exports of meat and live animals from England, Scotland and Wales will not be lifted until 25 August at the earliest, EU vets have decided, and it is likely to cause a loss of about $20m a week, the Financial Times estimates.