PETALING JAYA: The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) will be expanding a temporary ban on imports of pork products from six countries, including China, to cover more items.

The previous ban since Sept 18 was for live pigs and frozen pork products (usually meat) from China due to the discovery of the African Swine Fever (AFS) virus in some of its exports.

It is learnt that products such as canned pork, sausage casings, sliced pork meat, smoked ham and pork enzymes will be included in the ban.

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Sim Tze Tzin said two other countries discovered the existence of the virus in processed pork products two days ago.

The DVS is expected to issue a statement on the matter soon.

On Sept 7, Sim announced an immediate import ban on all live pigs and frozen pork from six countries – China, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Moldova and Ukraine.

Earlier on Thursday (Dec 27), the DVS clarified that Malaysia does not import pork blood protein flour from China, which is used in animal feed.

A report by Asian Age claimed that authorities in China had found the AFS virus in protein powder processed from pork blood to produce animal feed in Huizhou, Guangdong.