Zimbabwean veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Zimbabwe’s Mangwe district in Matabeleland South, near the country’s border with Botswana.
According to Zimbabwean veterinary authorities, there has been an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Mangwe, Matabeleland South. This comes amidst South Africa’s battle with FMD, currently considered the worst in recent years.
Fifty-four cases
In an interview with Farmer’s Weekly, Dr Pious Makaya, the chief director of the Department of Veterinary Services, said the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Southern African Development Community had been notified of the outbreak, with an alert issued by the WOAH on 16 January reporting that 54 cases were active. No deaths have been recorded.
According to a report on the matter by the WOAH, the outbreak occurred in villages in close proximity to where a stray buffalo was sighted.
The WOAH also said that control measures being implemented to stem the spread of the disease included disinfection, movement control, quarantine, surveillance within and outside the restricted zone, vaccination in response to the outbreak, and control of wildlife reservoirs.
Botswana bans imports
In response to the outbreak, Botswana has imposed an immediate ban on the importation of cloven‑hoofed livestock and related products from Zimbabwe.
In a statement, Kobedi Segale, acting director of Veterinary Services for Botswana, said to prevent FMD from spreading into Botswana’s national herd, farmers in border districts needed to become more vigilant and strictly follow FMD prevention protocols, including controlling livestock movement, kraaling animals at night, and ensuring all cattle are properly branded and tagged.
“Movement of cloven-hoofed animals out of, into and within zones 3b, 3c (Maitengwe), 6b and 7 is not allowed except for direct slaughter. The livestock from these zones are not eligible for export or slaughter for export,” he said in a statement.
He added that farmers needed to immediately report any suspected symptoms of FMD, such as lameness, drooling or mouth and hoof ulcers, as well as any Zimbabwean livestock straying across the border or attempts to illegally import animals, raw meat or milk, to the relevant authorities.
