FMD Viral Fragments Found at Adelaide Airport in 2022

In July 2022, biosecurity testing found foot-and-mouth disease viral fragments in an undeclared beef product carried into Adelaide Airport by a traveller from Indonesia. A separate detection involved imported pork products sold in Melbourne. These were detections of viral fragments, not live virus or an outbreak in Australian livestock. The ABC’s report of 21–22 July 2022 explains the distinction and the border response at the time.

Watt claimed that the undeclared beef product taken by a traveller from Indonesia was where the Adelaide detection was made “in recent days.” While the country is still clear of the animal disease, it has been found in Bali, a well-known tourist destination. In response to the fears that even one incidence of foot and mouth disease may cause the export economy to collapse overnight, opposition MPs Barnaby Joyce and Karen Andrews have called for the border to be closed with Indonesia, one of Australia’s largest trading partners. David Littleproud, the leader of the Nationals, refrained from endorsing a border closure nonetheless. On Wednesday, Watt noted that foot and mouth disease virus pieces have already been discovered in Australia, prior to the Melbourne detections. “It’s happened a number of other times in airport settings,” he said.

Watt’s position at the time was that protecting Australia from an outbreak required strong biosecurity while maintaining trade. The border-closure debate described here belongs to July 2022.