A UK manufacturer of Antec Virkon S started exporting about five tons of the antiseptic to help combat the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Miyazaki Prefecture, the Asahi Shimbun reported on 21 May.
The virus had been spreading rapidly among cattle and swine in the prefecture. Following quality testing, most of the antiseptic — imported by Bayer AG of Osaka — went to Miyazaki, although it was also distributed throughout Kyushu.
There was nationwide demand for the antiseptic after the first case of the disease was suspected in April. The firm is reported to have said it could import a total of 117 tons from the UK by the end of June.
