Seafood markets under scrutiny amid Covid-19 fears

Officials from the Ministry of Health and other ministries plan to inspect seafood products in targeted markets in Vientiane on Wednesday, as advised by the Minister of Health, Associate Prof. Dr BounkongSyhavong.
Inspections will be carried out at Nokhor, Thongkhankham, Khuadin and Osy markets. Health authorities are concerned that seafood could be contaminated with the Covid-19 virus and imports have been halted with immediate effect.
An official from the Vientiane Health Department said yesterday the inspections were ordered over concerns that food imported from Thailand could be contaminated with the virus following a fresh outbreak of the virus in that country.
When visiting markets in Vientiane, officials will take samples of imported fresh seafood, frozen seafood, and processed seafood for testing.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce had banned the import and transit via Laos of seafood from neighbouring countries that had ongoing outbreaks of Covid-19, the official said.
Health officials who visited a business that normally bought seafood from Thailand said the company had stopped buying seafood three weeks ago because suppliers in Thailand stopped selling seafood to Laos. This happened after an outbreak of Covid-19 was reported at a wholesale shrimp market in the kingdom’s SamutSakhon province.
The National Taskforce for the Prevention and Control of Covid-19 instructed the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to compile a list of seafood business operators across the country, to ease the inspection and monitoring process.
The taskforce asked the relevant ministries to strictly enforce the ban on imported seafood and to carry out inspections.
In a notice issued on December 24, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said the ban would be lifted once Laos and authorities in seafood exporting countries could certify the safety of seafood. Provincial bodies are working with district officials to monitor Lao-Thai border crossings to prevent seafood products from entering Laos.
The ministry’s Food and Drug Department is responsible for coordination between Lao and Thai authorities as they work to find a solution.
Lao authorities are tightening up virus prevention and control measures in light of the rising number of infections in the region and globally.
The government has suspended charter flights with countries where there is an outbreak of the virus, prohibited entry into Laos by citizens of outbreak countries, and banned large gatherings on public holidays and at special events.

By PhetphoxaySengpaseuth
(Latest Update December 30, 2020)