Panama tightens airport quarantine while Dominican Republic battles African swine fever

Panama’s Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) has reinforced sanitary controls at the Scarlett Martínez International Airport in Río Hato, Coclé, following the launch of new international flights, including a route from Quito, Ecuador, and existing services from Montreal, Canada. The agency now sprays luggage compartments, applies quarantine procedures to aircraft and passenger baggage, and conducts daily inspections to prevent the introduction of agricultural pests and diseases that could threaten the nation’s plant and animal health.

In the Dominican Republic, the Ministry of Agriculture reported that African swine fever (ASF) remains under strict sanitary control. Recent outbreaks are confined to vulnerable border communities, and officials have established epidemiological fences, carried out targeted culling, restricted the movement of live pigs, and provided bio‑security assistance to small and medium pork producers. Brazil and other regional authorities, along with the World Organisation for Animal Health, are monitoring the situation to protect disease‑free zones across Latin America.