OIE Reports FMD Outbreak in Malawi
MALAWI - Dr Bernard Chimera, Director of Veterinary Services at the Department of Animal Health & Livestock Development has reported an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in a town called Chikwawa.
7 September 2017
2 minute read
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reports that the outbreak was initially observed on 24 August, and confirmed on 30 August.
An immediate notification was sent to the OIE on 5 September. An ELISA 3ABC test has been carried out at the Malawi Central Veterinary Laboratory but no results have been confirmed.
The affected population consists of cattle, out of which 30,000 animals have been found to be susceptible. Out of the 30,000, 26 cases were found to have been affected.
No deaths have been reported, and none of the affected animals have been killed and/or disposed of or slaughtered.
According to the OIE, the affected population is under a communal grazing system and in a very close proximity with buffaloes that are in Lengwe National Park.
There is occasional mixing of cattle and buffaloes especially when the buffaloes stray out of the park and graze with cattle.
The population is within the locality that is strategically vaccinated against FMD using a trivalent FMD vaccine containing the three SAT strains (SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3).
Although the source of the outbreak has not yet been determined, the OIE is highly suspicious that it originated from buffaloes found in Lengwe National Park which occasionally mix with cattle in the area.
Several control measures have been applied so as to prevent further outbreaks. Should these measures prove ineffective, additional measures to be applied include vaccination in response to the outbreak, screening, traceability and official destruction of animal products.
TheCattleSite News Desk
