Ikea Withdraws Meatballs After Horse Meat Is Found

Smoked and salted horse meat on a sandwich.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The escalating crisis over horse meat in beef products in Europe claimed another big retail victim Monday when the Swedish furniture giant, Ikea, withdrew meatballs from sale in 14 European countries.

The retailer said it had removed some products from its stores in Sweden after the authorities in the Czech Republic detected horse meat in Ikea meatballs. The company said it had made the decision even though its own tests two weeks ago had not detected horse DNA.

Ikea also announced that it was stopping sales “of the concerned batch” of meatballs in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Britain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Ireland.

“We are now initiating further tests on the same production batch in which the Czech Republic authorities found indications of horse meat,” Ikea added in a statement. It said results were expected in the coming days. Read more >>

Ukraine Closes All Borders Amidst Fears of Pneumonic Plague

Today the borders that link Slovakia to Ukraine will be closing down to stop the spread of the h1n1 epidemic, it is still not clear whether this is the h1n1 or pneumonic plague.

All border posts linking the two countries will be closed except one where Doctors and health officials will monitor people that pass and will ban them from entering the country if they display symptoms.

The death toll of the flu outbreak / pneumonic plague has risen to 144 cases according to Ukraine Health officials. It is still unclear whether this is the number of fatalities from h1n1 or the pneumonic plague or both.

The Health ministry of the Ukraine mentioned 14 confirmed deaths of h1n1 but the rest of the fatalities remain unclear.

Additional reports from Buitenland indicate Slowakia has closed all but one border to Ukraine because of the flu outbreak. In Ukraine now more than 900.000 people are infected, 135 died so far.

At the only open border at Vysne Nemecke, doctors are stationed to check EVERY PERSON for flu symptoms. Who ever has flu symptoms will not be allowed in the country.

Also see:

Withheld Ukraine Sequences Raise Pandemic Concerns