Bats join civet cats' import ban

March 21, 2013

The import of game masked palm civets - also known as Himalayan palm civets, gem-faced civets, or civet cats - is prohibited, the Centre for Food Safety said today, adding it would extend the import ban to bats due to the public health threat from novel coronavirus.
 
The import ban on masked palm civets was introduced after the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003, and the Government sees no justification for relaxing the control.
 
No application to import the products had been received over the past decade.