Kenya bans ready-to-eat meat imports from South Africa

NAIROBI, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's health ministry on Tuesday banned import and sale of ready-to-eat meat products from South Africa after a listeriosis outbreak was linked to factories in the country.

Kepha Ombacho, Director of Public Health, announced the ban on Tuesday, following similar bans imposed by other African nations such as Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.

Ombacho also directed all retail outlets in the country to remove such products from their shelves.

"In order to ensure that the health of the public is protected and as a precautionary measure, you are required to stop the importation and sale of these products in market while at the same time recall those that are already on the market," he said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak in South Africa was the largest ever recorded globally, after some 900 cases since January 2017.

According to WHO, listeria is a food-borne infection that occurs through the consumption of contaminated foods. It causes flu-like symptoms, nausea, diarrhoea and infection of the bloodstream and brain. Enditem