Zambezi hit by new FMD outbreak
Eighteen months after Namibia was declared free of foot-and-mouth-disease a new outbreak of the disease has been confirmed in the Kabbe South Constituency of the Zambezi Region.
This outbreak affects two kraals and approximately 1 000 cattle are at risk of being affected at the Musele Island in Kabbe South.
The island is completely cut off from the main land and is only accessible by boat due to high water levels in the Chobe River.
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Milton Maseke said the Musele Island and the surrounding area within a 10km radius of the island in the affected constituency have been declared an infected place in terms of the Animal Health Act.
He said control measures, which include the compulsory re-vaccination of cattle and movement restrictions, will be implemented by the state veterinarian.
“We request the maximum cooperation of the public with the veterinary official in order to deal with this outbreak in the shortest possible time and we are able to give the assurance that this outbreak is limited to the above-mentioned area where no external trade is allowed from.”
Maseke said the outbreak has no impact on trade in livestock and products into and out of Namibia.
In January 2016 Namibia was declared free of FMD and all restrictions that were imposed following the outbreak of the disease during 2015 in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs) were lifted.
This followed after the country's first case in 26 years was reported on 11 May 2015 in the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions, while the last one was recorded at Etayi village two months later.
The government acted by imposing animal movement restrictions and allocating N$180 million for which the largest portion were spent on procuring 3.7 million doses of FMD vaccine.
The vaccine was used for three rounds of vaccination and covered an estimated 1.1 million cattle including those moving from Angola into Namibia.
ELLANIE SMIT
This outbreak affects two kraals and approximately 1 000 cattle are at risk of being affected at the Musele Island in Kabbe South.
The island is completely cut off from the main land and is only accessible by boat due to high water levels in the Chobe River.
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Milton Maseke said the Musele Island and the surrounding area within a 10km radius of the island in the affected constituency have been declared an infected place in terms of the Animal Health Act.
He said control measures, which include the compulsory re-vaccination of cattle and movement restrictions, will be implemented by the state veterinarian.
“We request the maximum cooperation of the public with the veterinary official in order to deal with this outbreak in the shortest possible time and we are able to give the assurance that this outbreak is limited to the above-mentioned area where no external trade is allowed from.”
Maseke said the outbreak has no impact on trade in livestock and products into and out of Namibia.
In January 2016 Namibia was declared free of FMD and all restrictions that were imposed following the outbreak of the disease during 2015 in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs) were lifted.
This followed after the country's first case in 26 years was reported on 11 May 2015 in the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions, while the last one was recorded at Etayi village two months later.
The government acted by imposing animal movement restrictions and allocating N$180 million for which the largest portion were spent on procuring 3.7 million doses of FMD vaccine.
The vaccine was used for three rounds of vaccination and covered an estimated 1.1 million cattle including those moving from Angola into Namibia.
ELLANIE SMIT
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article