CAPE TWON: Rwanda has banned the import of meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruit from South Africa because of the purported presence of the listeriosis viral disease. The ban, aimed to prevent the spread of the disease to Rwanda, became effective on December 19th 2017.
Listeriosis is a serious, but treatable and preventable disease caused by the bacterium listeria monocytogenes which is widely distributed in nature and can be found in soil, water and vegetation. Symptoms from the food-borne disease include diarrhoea, fever, general body pains, vomiting and overall weakness.
The import of vegetables and fruits from South Africa is banned until that country is declared free of listeriosis, nationco.ke learned from in an official statement.