China's top quality supervisor has banned imports of Philippine pork products after the island country reported finding of Ebola-Reston virus in four pig herds on its Luson island at the end of last year.

It was the first time the lethal virus was discovered in livestock.

All pork products from Philippine already at Chinese ports should be turned back or destroyed, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ) said in an on-line announcement here on Feb. 12.

The administration also said no to pigs or pork products coming to China via delivery and travelers. Pork products found on foreign ships, planes or trains staying in the country will be frozen.

At the same time, the administration urged people from Philippines having symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, blood loss or fetter to report to quarantine institutes and seek medical help as soon as possible.

Ebola virus, first found in the 1960s, has four types. It could communicate among people via sweat, blood and saliva and cause fevers with a death rate over 80 percent. There has been few reports of human deaths from Ebola-Reston type so far.

(Shanghai Daily February 11, 2009)