Foot and Mouth disease hits South Africa

//01 Mar 2011
Foot and Mouth disease has made its way to northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Experts have said that the disease could cost the country billions of Rands.
According to economists, the ban placed on all exports of cloven-hoof animal products could relay to costs as much as R2 billion (approximatley $143,923,073.59). In South Africa, the Department of Agriculture announced a ban on the export of all cloven-hoofed animals (including cattle, goats and sheep) and their products – however, not those products that have been fully processed to inactivate the virus. “We don’t know yet how other countries will respond to the announcement,” said Department of Agriculture spokesman Bothle Modisane.

Affected areas
The outbreak has currently only been found in the remote Ingwavuma district in northern KwaZulu-Natal on the border of Swaziland and Mozambique. Routine tests on more than 600 animals took place recently and it displayed that 50% of the animals developed antibodies and tested positive for Foot-and-Mouth disease. The KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture Department stated that officials will hold talks in order to “assess the situation and to formulate a control strategy”.

[Source: iol.co.za]