Foot-n-mouth quarantines Mt Darwin, Rushinga

RUSHINGA and Mt Darwin districts have been quarantined due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, provincial veterinary officer Dr Wimort Chikurunhe has said.

Dr Chikurunhe said they were in the process of culling 10 beats which were illegally moved from the two districts to Centenary and Shamva.

He said the first cases were detected on June 25 and were laboratory-confirmed on July 2 and the disease was suspected to have originated from Mozambique.

Mt Darwin has a cattle population of 120 000, while Rushinga has 40 000 and no permit for movement of cattle is being issued in the two districts due to the outbreak.

“Mozambique reported an outbreak earlier than us and we intend to meet their veterinary services in Nyamapanda to get information on the extent of the outbreak,” said Dr Chikurunhe.

“Most of the affected areas here are along the border with Mozambique, five dip tanks in Rushinga and one in Mutungagore, Mt Darwin. The meeting with Mozambique will include our counterparts in Manicaland and Mashonaland East so that we identify areas along the border that are affected to enable us to channel our energy appropriately.

“Mashonaland Central is considered a free zone and this is the first time the outbreak was experienced here. We have 10 cattle that were moved illegally during the night, five destined for Centenary and five to Shamva.

“We have since prosecuted the people involved and we are in the process of eliminating the animals and ensuring that they are disposed in a safe manner.

“Inspections to establish the extent of the outbreak are complete in Rushinga and we are having inspections in Mt Darwin and Centenary due to the proximity of the affected dip tanks to Mozambique,” he said.