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Namibia records FMD case in six years

Xinhua, February 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

Namibia recorded first cases of foot and mouth disease within six years in the northern Namibia Kavango region, Chief veterinary officer Dr. Adrianatus Florentius Maseke said Thursday.

In a report filed with the World Organisation for Animal Health, Dr. Museke said the outbreak could be a result of wild animals, especially buffaloes.

Dr. Museke said nine cattle from about 470 herd have oral and foot lesions, which suggest that they are suffering from the dreaded foot and mouth disease.

"A temporary but complete ban of all susceptible livestock movements within and into Zambezi Region was imposed with immediate effect. Surveillance and outbreak investigation teams are deployed in the affected area to establish the source and extent of the outbreak," the report further said.

As a result, a containment area has been established with a 40 km radius zone around Linyati.

The cases come up as government prepares to vaccinate more than 30,000 cattle in Kavango East region against foot and mouth disease.

So far, the Philippines have recently banned beef and livestock imports from Namibia citing the disease outbreak reports.

In 2009, the then Caprivi Region (now Zambezi) and Kavango were hit by foot and mouth disease, with more than 1, 900 cases reported in the Zambezi region alone. Endi