A series of countries have implemented bans on beef imports from Brazil after a case of mad cow disease was discovered last month, reports ILM.

Following an automatic ban on Brazilian beef imports in China in February, Thailand, Iran and Jordan have followed suit with bans on beef imported from anywhere in Brazil.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities have halted imports from just Para state, where there is just one meatpacking plant authorised to sell beef to Russia.

The Brazilian agriculture ministry has described the confirmed case of mad cow disease as “atypical” and is currently working towards lifting the beef export suspensions.

Officials noted that the infected animal has already been destroyed and that atypical cases of mad cow disease can occur spontaneously in cattle populations and such infections do not depend on ingestion of contaminated feed.