Cattle dealers at Kisenyi livestock market in Sembabule District after the government lifted the quarantine on sale and movement of cattle on October 8, 2019. Veterinary officials in Mbarara District have said Foot-and-Mouth Disease is under control.
The Mbarara District Veterinary Officer has said they have contained the foot and mouth outbreak in the two sub-counties of Biharwe and Kagongi.
Mr Andrew Akashaba said only two sub-counties out of eight that form Mbarara District, were affected by the outbreak.
“But we have managed to contain it and in the two farms in Kagongi Sub County and two in Biharwe division. So both sub-counties were placed under quarantine by the ministry of agriculture animal industry and Fisheries,” he said.
He said the disease has been controlled and it has not spread from the four farms in the two sub-counties.
“In Kagongi it is only two farms even animals have already healed, and in Biharwe also it is only two farms and the animals have already healed,” he said.
The district is in the process of taking a sample to check again if the animals are completely healed before lifting the quarantine in the two sub-counties.
The district has also vaccinated 25,000 heads of cattle and particularly in the areas that neighbour Kiruhura district which was heavily affected.
Mr Akashaba said they are in the process of lifting the quarantine. “Since they [farmers] have cooperated, we are very sure that we are going to request the Ministry of Agriculture to lift the quarantine.”
Original Post: Daily Monitor
