Panic as foot-and-mouth disease begins to bite in seven counties
David Musundi, Rebecca Wangari and Mwangi Mumero
Livestock farmers in Trans Nzoia and Murang’a counties have raised concern about an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
In Trans Nzoia, the county government has imposed a quarantine suspending movement of livestock in the county.
The county government has also ordered field officers to map out the affected regions to ensure active surveillance.
Statistics indicate that Cherang’any sub-county has the highest number of sick animals, followed by Kiminini, Kwanza and Endebes.
Trans Nzoia County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture Mary Nzomo said the ministry had started immunising livestock in Cherang’any and will soon take the immunisation campaign to the Kiminini sub-county.
Livestock deaths
Describing the rate at which the disease was spreading as alarming, Nzomo appealed to farmers to improve biosecurity measures at the farm level to help control the disease.
Bungoma, Busia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kakamega and West Pokot counties have also reported several cases of the disease, with loss of several animals reported.
In Murang’a, several farmers in Githundi and Karima villages in Kiharu are counting losses after the death of their cattle of what is believed to be foot-and-mouth disease.
About five cows have died, causing panic among the residents. Jamleck Kamau, a resident, said two of his three cows died on Tuesday even after they were treated.
He said the cows started exhibiting symptoms associated with foot-and-mouth disease and he called veterinary officer who vaccinated the animals. They, however, died three days later.
“I realised the animals couldn’t stand and were not feeding well which are some of the symptoms of the disease,” he said.
Frashia Waithira, who has lost one dairy cow, said she has been robbed of her livelihood as she used to depend on the proceeds from selling the cow’s milk.
Residents are urging the county government to act fast and arrest the situation before it gets worse.
“We are afraid that if the disease is not contained, all our livestock will die,” said Waithira.
Efforts to reach officers in charge of livestock at the county were not successful.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep and many wildlife species.
Symptoms include loss of appetite, reduced milk production, lameness with the presence of painful lesions on the feet. Others are, drooling and chomping of jaws.
Last year, the ministry of Agriculture issued an alert about an outbreak of the disease 26 counties.
Meanwhile, a new Sh1.58 billion foot-and-mouth disease vaccine development project has been launched to meet the needs of Eastern Africa.
