Ondjiva - Veterinary authorities in southern Cunene Province on Thursday said they’ve registered suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle, in the communes of Cubate, Mupa, Calonga and Mukulongodjo, in Cuvelai Municipality.
Speaking to ANGOP, the head of the veterinary services department of Cunene, Cláudio Simão, said at least 300 samples have been collected and sent to the Regional Laboratory of Humpata (Huila), for confirmation of the existence or not of the disease in the region.
According to Simão, work has been carried out with farmers in Cuvelai, which made it possible to make a presumptive diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease.
The veterinarian also noted the existence of areas where animals showed symptoms of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and anthrax.
Without giving details of the number of heads of cattle affected, Simão clarified that the animals showed clinical symptoms such as a wound in the mouth, difficulties in feeding, non-coagulation of blood and rapid death.
"We still don't have a confirmatory diagnosis, but of the traditional pens we’ve visited, breeders said between seven and 15 heads were affected," Simão said.
Cláudio Simão said that the sector had 10,000 doses of antibiotics for cattle vaccination, stressing that as soon as they get the results they can start vaccinating the cattle.
The official said that the disease did not have a specific treatment, stressing the reinforcement of prevention measures through the separation of herds, while waiting for the results.
Meanwhile, he noted that the Municipality of Cuvelai was an endemic corridor as most of the animals go through this area to feed.
