Quarantine officers in Sichuan catch a mouse on a flight from the United States. (Photo/Chinanews.com)
(ECNS) -- China's top quality watchdog issued a warning notification on Thursday in response to seven mice having been found on international flights this year.
A statement issued by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said living mice were found on international flights five times this year, of which one was on a departing flight, two were on arriving flights from the United States and Thailand respectively, and three others were pet rats carried by passengers.
Mice on flights could be sources of disease including the plague and hemorrhagic fevers, which could threaten public health as well as national ecological safety, the statement said. In addition, mice could chew through electrical wires and pipelines on aircraft, which could threaten air safety.
The administration urged related departments to strengthen inspection and quarantine procedures during the boarding process and urged improved cooperation with airlines to prevent mice from entering aircraft.
Inspection and quarantine bureaus have taken measures to eradicate the mice and strengthen supervision, the statement said.
Quarantine officers placed approximately 500 glue traps and 48 powder agglomerates inside the reported aircraft and closed cabin doors to get rid of the mice.
Airlines were reminded to close aircraft doors in a timely fashion, and an emergency plan was launched to protect biosafety and public health.
