The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has announced the partial lifting of movement restrictions of live animals and animal products from, into and via the Zambezi region.
The restrictions were imposed in May after the detection of a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Zambezi region, where more than 150 cattle are reported to have died due to FMD related causes.
According to Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Albertina Shilongo, two rounds of cattle vaccinations have so far been completed in the region, a position which has suppressed the infection, with the last case reported on the 4th of November.
“The outbreak can only be declared over three months after the confirmed case,” she said.
The Ministry’s investigations establish the source of the outbreak as FMD serotype O and in order to address the situation, a total of 340 000 doses of FMD serotype O vaccine was procured at a cost of N$6 million.
