Zika – FAS/USDA Posts Update on China’s Requirements

The Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has posted an “Update on China’s Requirements for Shipments From Zika-Infected Countries” on the FAS website.  U.S. officials have received more information about how U.S. shippers can comply with China’s requirement that shipments from the nation be mosquito-free.

The requirements, which have been in place for months for many other countries, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, were extended earlier this month to apply to shipments from the 50 United States by China’s Inspection and Quarantine Ministry in an attempt to prevent the Zika virus from spreading to China.

Zika is most commonly transmitted through the Aedes aegypti and albopictus mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 416,000 cases of Zika virus have been reported in 38 countries in the Western Hemisphere. In the United States, most of the 6,500 reported cases have come from U.S. territories, especially Puerto Rico.

If you have clients or contacts now impacted by this, please let them know that Livingston can help make the necessary arrangements.  They should contact their Livingston Freight representatives who are well-versed in fumigation requirements.

As always, your general questions regarding this posting may be directed to Livingston’s US Regulatory Affairs: usregaffairs@livingstonintl.com