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Namibia hit by new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease
January 14, 2021
The foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is spreading further in Namibia, prompting renewed biosecurity efforts.
Reuters reports that Namibia has been struck by another outbreak of highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease after the detection of infected cattle in the northern regions of Oshana and Ohangwena, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday (January 13th).
The country’s chief veterinarian, Albertina Musilika-Shilongo, said neighboring regions of Oshikoto, Omusati and Kunene to the north have been declared disease management areas in an attempt to stop the spread of the disease. epidemic.
The movement of all live split-hoofed animals in and out of the Areas has been banned with immediate effect.
The government has also banned the transport of other potentially infectious products out of affected areas, such as hides, skins, game trophies and plant materials.
Eight of the country’s 14 regions are now affected by traffic restrictions.
The disease, which does not affect humans but causes lesions and lameness in cattle and sheep, was first detected in Ndiyona constituency in the northern Kavango East region at the end of the month of September.
A month later, it spread to the neighboring region of Kavango West and the village of Shighuru, also in the region of Kavango East.
Free-range, hormone-free Namibian beef has seen it enter lucrative markets in China, the European Union and the United States. But there are strong fears that any further spread will result in a cattle export ban that could be devastating for the country’s economy, which is expected to contract from a record 7.3% in 2020, according to Bank of Namibia estimates.
Read more about this story here.
Source: Reuters
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