Authorities act to halt spread of foot-and-mouth

Zambian authorities on Monday said plans were underway to vaccinate an estimated 52,000 cattle following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Southern Province. Chief Veterinary Officer Dominque Minyoi told IRIN that the movement of cattle from Namwala District, the epicentre of the outbreak, had been banned to contain the disease. He attributed the disease to the presence of buffaloes in the area, which are carriers of the virus. "At least 37,000 cattle in Namwala will be vaccinated. Also, because of the illegal movement of cattle, some 15,000 cattle will be treated as well in the neighbouring Muunga district," Minyoi noted. He said the outbreak jeopardised the livelihoods of hundreds of farmers in the affected areas, who relied on animal draught power to cultivate their fields. "The reports so far indicate that farmers are very concerned about the outbreak, considering they rely heavily on these animals. We also are worried that this will affect our meat exports to neighbouring countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo and Angola," Minyoi said. He noted that it had been "some time" since the last outbreak of FMD in the region.