Foot-and-mouth disease, a viral infection that infects and kills cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals, has spread in five villages in Minya Governorate, announced the head of the state-run veterinary agency Tuesday.
The directorate has declared a state of emergency in Minya.
Minya Governor Sirag Eddin al-Ruby has formed several committees to follow up on the immunization process, as well as to organize awareness-building seminars to educate citizens on how to prevent the disease’s spread. Citizens were informed of the outbreak last week after it was revealed that local calves had been infected.
Ruby vaccines have been made available in all Minya townships and villages for infected cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats. He pointed out that free treatment for suspected cases is also available.
Veterinary Medicine Directorate head Mohamed Mostafa said the disease has appeared in areas such as Abu Qurqas, Talla, Hedl and Towa, as well as the village of Shusha in the town of Samalout.
He went on to say that concerned officials have been informed and a preventative medicine committee has taken samples from the dead cattle and confirmed their infection with the disease. He added that immunization campaigns for calves have begun in the governorate.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
