In an effort to prevent them from bringing the hazardous foot and mouth illness back to the nation, Australians returning from Bali may soon be provided with footbaths.
At security checkpoints, passengers may further be subjected to bag screening and heightened luggage inspections.
In a letter sent to agriculture minister Murray Watt on Friday, deputy premier Paul Toole and agriculture minister Dugald Saunders advocated for the modifications.
Fears of an outbreak in Australia are growing as foot and mouth disease spreads quickly across Indonesia, which had been 32 years without an outbreak.
More than 336,000 animals had contracted the disease as of Sunday in 21 provinces, primarily on the two most populous islands, Java and Sumatra.
Bali is served by 103 aircraft each week, according to Mr. Saunders, speaking to the Daily Telegraph.
“We are requesting increased luggage surveillance and the disinfection of shoes for every traveller returning from Bali.”
Prior to boarding their flights to Australia or upon their return, Mr. Saunders suggested providing footbaths to travellers.
Additionally, he advised officials to clean shoes that had been placed into suitcases while being worn in Bali.
In his words, “(The risk is) someone who has been out for a bike ride and has picked up some mud or cow poo on their shoes and has never even thought about it.”
A FMD outbreak, according to Mr. Saunders, would ruin the Australian economy.
In 2001, the disease broke out in the UK, costing the economy $13 billion and necessitating the euthanasia of six million animals.
As authorities work to prevent the highly dangerous sickness from entering the country, biosecurity officers have already started boarding aircraft coming into the country from Indonesia.
Two days after Indonesian authorities confirmed the livestock disease had been found in the well-known tourist resort of Bali, the precaution was put in place last Thursday.
According to Australia’s top veterinarian Mark Schipp, “100% of travellers arriving from Indonesia will now be tested against biosecurity risk profiles and given some type of intervention.”
They might also be interviewed by a biosecurity officer after having their luggage X-rayed.
The virus’s spread to Bali, according to Dr. Schipp, was not unexpected but disappointing.
Airports in Darwin and Cairns use detection dogs as additional security measures.
Dr. Schipp claimed that because of the chemicals utilized, there were problems with foot dips that needed to be resolved.
They are extremely dangerous substances. They can’t get on your skin, and many travellers returning from Bali, for instance, are not wearing boots.
Dr. Schipp believed the steps would prevent FMD from entering Australia.