Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Zambezi Region is now under control, with a total of 79.5% of the targeted 170 000 cattle population in the region vaccinated and the last new case reported in September this year.
Jona Musheko, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform said that no FMD signs were detected in the western part of the region since the beginning of the campaign and that the vaccination campaign is progressing very well.
Musheko further stated that farmers have been obliging since the commencement of the vaccination campaign. He urged them to continue bringing their cattle for the second dose or the booster and to adhere to animal movement restrictions in place within the Zambezi Region.
“Mass FMD vaccination against FMD SAT 1,2,3 (the usual FMD) and Type O (the new variant) began on 21 September 2021, and a total of 135 137 (SATs) and 131 556 (Type O) out of 141 678 (95.4%) from presented (brought for vaccine at crush pens) cattle are vaccinated so far in the region. This gives a cumulative coverage of 79.5% of the targeted 170 000 cattle population in Zambezi Region,” Musheko said.
He added that a booster vaccination – the second dose for all cattle vaccinated with the first dose – with FMD type O vaccine began on 19 October 2021, and as of 22 October, a total of 12 746 out of 13124 cattle presented at crush pens were vaccinated from 34 crush pens.
Musheko, however, clarified that animal movement restrictions are still in place in and around strategic entry points of the region. He further noted that about 97 600 cattle were vaccinated from 31 May 2021 to 9 August 2021 with the SAT 1, 2 and 3 vaccine as a response to the initial FMD outbreak.
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