The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has released updated information about China’s Zika disinfection requirements for exports from the U.S. Note that this is not official USDA guidance; FAS recommends that exporters verify import requirements with their Chinese customers before shipping any goods.
On Sept. 2, China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) stated that, due to the low risk of Zika transmission through shipments of cargo, vessels originating from the United States, other than the state of Florida, do not require disinfection certification. However, if during the course of routine sampling and inspection, local CIQ officials discover any adult mosquitoes, eggs, larva or infected cases, the vessel and its contents will be subject to full Zika requirements. Also, if a vessel loads or unloads in Florida or a Zika-infected country, it is subject to the full requirements. AQSIQ will continue to monitor the situation and may amend its decision to regionalize based on the Zika situation in the U.S.