In Spain, a discovery was made on strawberries imported from Morocco. These are contaminated with hepatitis A, an infectious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), transmitted mainly through the consumption of contaminated water or food according to the WHO definition
Analyzes carried out at a checkpoint in Spain revealed that strawberries imported from Morocco are contaminated with hepatitis A. Contamination levels exceeded the maximum authorized threshold, it is specified. The detection of this contamination prompted the European Union (EU) to activate its Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). According to the notification issued on February 14, these fruits are contaminated with Norovirus genotype II. Contamination qualified as a “serious risk”.
Surprised by the detection of this contamination, the Moroccan authorities recalled that exported strawberries are systematically subject to rigorous health controls and that similar measures are taken for other fruits and vegetables when health alerts are issued in other countries. third parties, to guarantee the safety of European consumers.
Noroviruses are primarily transmitted by the fecal-oral route and are highly infectious. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “fewer than 100 particles are theoretically enough to cause illness.”
