As Algeria faces new cases of bovine foot-and-mouth disease on its territory, neighboring countries have taken protective measures.
Bovine foot-and-mouth disease, which recently reappeared in Algeria, worries Morocco. The Moroccan government has decided to strengthen border controls, while several outbreaks have been detected by the Algerian veterinary authorities in certain wilayas of the country.
The outbreaks are linked to the serotype A virus. Morocco took “immediately the necessary preventive measures to protect the national herd”, writes the National Food Safety Office (ONSSA) in a press release.
Imports suspended
These controls involve strengthening the health surveillance of national livestock, particularly in border areas. A watch unit has been set up at ONSSA level to ensure daily monitoring of the disease and its development in neighboring countries.
The government has also suspended all imports of animals, animal and animal products and feed from Algeria. The necessary arrangements will be made for the acquisition of the vaccine against serotype A, as soon as possible, with a view to a national vaccination campaign for the cattle herd, the press release added.
French customs alert
ONSSA wants to be reassuring, however, insists on the good sanitary state of the national herd. “No case of foot-and-mouth disease has been declared in Morocco,” the document concludes.
A few days ago, Tunisia declared a state of health emergency and adopted similar measures. As for France, it has issued an alert to travelers transporting food from Algeria, “in order to prevent the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease into the European Union”.
“It is recalled that the importation of meat, milk and products made from meat or milk in luggage and personal consignments is strictly prohibited whatever the quantity transported, these products being potential vectors of foot-and-mouth disease. “, Warned the French customs.
Vaccination campaign
The Algerian authorities have detected at least four cases of bovine foot-and-mouth disease in the wilayas of Relizane, Médéa, Sétif and Bord Bou-Arreridj. “This type of foot-and-mouth disease has practically disappeared from our country since the 1970s. It is a strain which is very present in certain African countries such as Niger”, they specified.
According to the government, the appearance of this epidemic is linked to the movement of herds. A vaccination campaign started on Monday.
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