SWINE FEVER PREVENTION: Sixteen new X-ray scanners are being used to reduce waiting times, as all carry-on luggage from China, Hong Kong and Macau is checked
Taipei Times
Date: Feb 03, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
More than 150,000 people traveled through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
Travelers yesterday crowd Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
yesterday — the first day of the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday — with all carry-on luggage on flights from China, Hong Kong and Macau having to pass through X-ray scanners to prevent illegal meat imports.
Since China first reported an African swine fever outbreak in August last year, the disease has spread to 25 of its provinces, municipalities and regions, with the 108th and most recent case reported on Jan. 20 in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
Aviation police on Jan. 16 began manually checking carry-on luggage on flights from China, Hong Kong and Macau, as these have been identified as high-risk areas.
As 16 new X-ray scanners began operating at the airport yesterday, visitors’ waiting times were reduced to about 1.5 minutes from seven minutes, said Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲), who visited the airport to inspect the machines.
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