Submit your comments on this article | |
Africa North | |
The Crash Arrives: Egyptian Foot-and-Mouth problem spreads | |
2012-03-23 | |
[AFP] - The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Thursday warned of a major new foot-and-mouth outbreak in Egypt which could threaten the whole of North Africa and the Middle East. "Urgent action is required ... to prevent its spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East, which could have serious implications for food security in the region," the UN agency warned in a statement. In Egypt, official estimates speak of more than 40,000 suspected cases, with more than 4,600 animals, mostly calves, already dead.
"With vaccines urgently needed, international and regional organizations are at the ready to assist in developing a regional prevention, preparedness and action plan," the organization added. The UN body said it is working with the government in Egypt to bring the outbreak under control. "The area around the Lower Nile Delta appears to be severely affected, while other areas in Upper Egypt and the west appear less so," according to Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer. Farmers have been urged to limit animal movement, avoid buying animals, and to burn or bury the carcasses of dead animals. According to FAO's livestock census data, 6.3 million buffalo and cattle and 7.5 million sheep and goats are at risk in Egypt. Vaccines for the new virus strain are currently in limited supply and vaccination often takes up to two weeks to confer immunity, FAO said, while urging anti-contamination measures. | |
Posted by:trailing wife |
#4 Polio is next up. Welcome to deNile and the Great Vaccine Conspiracy. |
Posted by: manversgwtw 2012-03-23 21:33 |
#3 Your odds are better than Egypt's, g(r)omgoru. |
Posted by: trailing wife 2012-03-23 16:47 |
#2 Sure hope the folks who show up with the vaccine, or to train Egyptian veternarians, aren't Christian. |
Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2012-03-23 16:31 |
#1 I sure hope we (Israel) have enough vaccine. |
Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2012-03-23 09:08 |