Health · Public Health & Disease · 4 hrs ago
Foot-and-mouth disease detected in Namibia’s Zambezi Region
Namibia has detected foot-and-mouth disease in the Zambezi Region, the second area affected by the outbreak.
Veterinary officials found 20 cattle showing signs of the disease at Kalala Island on October 5, and all 12 samples tested positive two days later.
The outbreak was first confirmed in late September on a commercial farm in the southern Karasburg district.
Authorities have started emergency vaccination and surveillance to respond and assess how far the disease has spread.
Movement of cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products is suspended across the Zambezi Region, and livestock sales, gatherings and some slaughter have been halted.
The outbreak has also brought wider trade restrictions, including a temporary European Union suspension of imports of fresh beef, sheep and goat meat and some processed meat products from Namibia.
Namibia’s foot-and-mouth disease-free status has been suspended for the affected zone, while restrictions on animal movements and exports remain in place.
Namibia has detected foot-and-mouth disease in the Zambezi Region, the second area affected by the country’s outbreak.
Veterinary officials observed 20 cattle showing clinical signs at Kalala Island on October 5.
All 12 samples collected from the cattle tested positive for the virus on October 7.
Authorities have begun emergency vaccination and suspended the movement of cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products throughout the region.
Livestock marketing, trade and slaughter have also been halted in the region.
- Who
- Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform reported the detection. Veterinary officials identified cattle showing clinical signs.
- What
- Foot-and-mouth disease was detected in the Zambezi Region.
- When
- Officials observed cattle showing clinical signs on October 5; samples tested positive on October 7. The ministry announced the detection on Sunday.
- Where
- Kalala Island in Kabe constituency, Zambezi Region, Namibia.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Foot-and-mouth disease was first confirmed on a commercial farm in the southern Karasburg State Veterinary District.
Veterinary officials observed 20 cattle showing clinical signs at Kalala Island.
All 12 samples collected from the cattle tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease virus.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform reported detection of the disease in the Zambezi Region.
- Affected region
- Zambezi Region
- Detection site
- Kalala Island, Kabe constituency
- Cattle showing clinical signs
- 20
- Samples testing positive
- 12 of 12
- First affected area
- Southern Karasburg State Veterinary District
What people are saying
Emergency vaccination has commenced in the affected area, while intensive surveillance is underway to establish the full extent of the outbreak. Movement of all cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products has been suspended throughout the Zambezi region.
Sources
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