By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Feb. 6: The government has temporarily halted import of animals and animal products from China amid growing fears that coronavirus could enter the country through such imports.

“Due to high risk of coronavirus in China, we have decided to stop the import of all kinds of animal products from China effective from Wednesday,” said Dr. Banshi Sharma, Director General of the Department of Livestock Service under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

Stating that many things related to animal husbandry were being imported to Nepal from China, he said that the Ministry had decided to stop the import of all items linked with animals for now, but they would stop particular products once the actual agents transmitting coronavirus are confirmed.

It is yet to be fully ascertained how coronavirus gets transmitted with research going on in this regard.

“In this context, all animal quarantine offices have become more active to control the supply of animal and animal related products and packaging materials from other countries,” he said.

There are eight animal quarantine offices across the country.

Sharma claimed that no meat item was imported from China.

He said that the department had also directed the quarantine offices to destroy the animals and animal products which entered the country without certificates as per the regulation.

“We coordinate with the Civil Aviation Authority to inform the animal quarantine office of TIA if passengers bring animals and animal related products through the airlines,” he said.

According to Sharma, the department has coordinated with the customs offices to check the consignment aiming to control the entry of coronavirus into the country by tightening  imports.