Lung sickness outbreak in Kavango West

The agriculture ministry has confirmed an outbreak of lung sickness in cattle in the Ncamagoro and Musese Constituencies of the Kavango West Region.This was detected on 28 February.Farmers at the Erago Crushpen in Ncamagoro, Sau and Mayenzere crushpens in Musese notified veterinary officials in the region after observing some deaths and clinical signs in their cattle, mainly coughing. According to the ministry, veterinary officials instituted immediate outbreak investigations and recorded 16 deaths and clinical signs in 20 cattle.Lung sickness was confirmed on 10 March by the Windhoek Central Veterinary Laboratory.The source of the infection is still under investigation.Lung sickness is a disease that mainly affects cattle and water buffalo. It is caused by bacteria that attack the lungs of these animals.“In Africa lung sickness is known to cause greater losses of cattle than any other disease because it is highly contagious and has mortality rate of more than 50%,” says the ministry.Control measuresControl measures have therefore been implemented which include a complete movement ban of live cattle, except for direct slaughter, within, in and out of Ncamagoro, Musese, Kapako and Mankumbi Constituencies.Vaccination of all cattle in the region will be conducted in the next few weeks.The ministry says that transmission of luck sickness occurs through direct contact between infected and susceptible cattle through inhaling droplets through coughing.Chronically infected cattle carry and spread the disease without showing signs of illness for longer periods.“Treatment of sick cattle with antibiotics is not recommended as it may result in cattle that look clinically healthy, but are still infected and able to spread the disease.”Clinical signs of the disease include coughing and nasal discharges, difficulty breathing and poor body condition. Infected cattle are often reluctant to move and graze poorly, and sick cattle may become recumbent.

Lung sickness outbreak in Kavango West

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

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Lung sickness outbreak in Kavango West

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

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