Ministry to relax FMD-related restrictions before weekend

shahennews

Recent restrictions on livestock transport and markets will be relaxed this week as a nationwide campaign to vaccinate cattle against foot and mouth disease (FMD) nears completion, said the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday.

According to a statement released by the ministry, a specialized team from the World Organization for Animal Health, led by the regional director of the organization and Italian specialists, visited livestock farms in the Al Dhelil area of the eastern Zarqa Governorate to assess the extent of disease spread and identify the source of the virus.

According to the ministry, committees were set up to compensate farmers whose livestock contracted the disease.

The ministry purchased 62,700 FMD vaccines from a British manufacturer, and as of today, the number of cows with vaccinations has surpassed 52,625 heads, including those vaccinated by farmers.

The first stage of the campaign involved immunizing cows in cattle farms within a 15-kilometer radius of Dhelil, where the FMD outbreak is thought to have started. The second stage will cover an additional 10 kilometers, the ministry said, and 13,570 vaccine shots were distributed to agriculture departments throughout the kingdom.

According to the ministry’s reporting system, as of Monday evening, 334 cows and 426 calves had perished as a result of the virus.

Officials have reassured the public that the FMD outbreak does not endanger human health and that local animal products are safe for consumption.