GABORONE, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Botswana on Wednesday announced suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in its North East District, prompting immediate animal movement restrictions and a swift government response.
The suspected cases were detected at Jackalas 1 crush in the Tsamaya Extension Area of the Masunga district, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture.
While official investigations are ongoing, authorities have moved swiftly to contain any potential spread, imposing an immediate ban on the movement of all cloven-hoofed animals within and out of the affected zones.
The movement of related fresh products, including meat, fresh milk, livestock feeds, trophies, skins, and hooves, is also prohibited.
Kobedi Segale, acting director of veterinary services, said exports of cloven-hoofed animals are now suspended, and all previously issued permits are revoked. However, the importation of certain processed products, such as pasteurized and UHT milk and cooked goods, remains permitted.
Farmers and stakeholders have been urged to adhere strictly to disease prevention measures and to report any signs of illness in livestock to the nearest veterinary office.
Botswana has approved an emergency response fund of 97 million pula (about 7 million U.S. dollars) to prevent a potential outbreak of FMD following official notifications from neighboring countries, Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere said on Tuesday.
The funds are intended to strengthen border surveillance, deploy rapid-response veterinary teams, and conduct farmer awareness campaigns in high-risk areas. The overall goal is to build a resilient barrier against the virus, which was detected in South Africa and Zimbabwe. ■