Kuwait on Wednesday imposed an indefinite ban on imports of French cattle and animal products after two further cases of "mad cow" disease were discovered in France last week, the official KUNA news agency reported.
The ban was "part of precautionary and preventive measures against infectious animal diseases," the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources said in a statement carried by KUNA.
The body added that the decision was based on a report sent by the Organization of Animal Infections "regarding the discovery of new cases of the mad cow disease in France."
Two new cases of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), have recently been discovered in France, bringing the official number so far this year to 34, the French agriculture ministry said on August 10th.
Kuwait and its fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members -- Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- lifted a ban in June on imports of Danish beef three months after imposing it after a "mad cow" scare in Denmark - KUWAIT CITY (AFP)
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