The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) has imposed a livestock quarantine on Kayonza District following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The ministry said in a statement that signs of the highly infectious viral disease were identified in cows in Mucucu Village, Buhabwa Cell, Murundi Sector of Kayonza District.

This prompted the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Gérardine Mukeshimana to ban the movement of cattle, pigs, goats and sheep for any reason including breeding, selling or slaughter.

The disease has so far affected 92 cows in Kayonza, Solange Uwituze, the Deputy Director-General of Animal Research and Technology Transfer at Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), told The New Times.

The current outbreak follows another one in June 2020, which prompted a quarantine in Kayonza, Gatsibo and Kirehe districts in Eastern Province.

Vaccination

As such, Uwituze encouraged farmers to vaccinate their animals because it is the only remedy.

At least 16,000 cows out of the total 17,000 in Murundi Sector have so far been vaccinated.

"The vaccine is free because the cost is covered by the Government,” she said.

Need for timely reporting

Farmers who have animals that are infected or suspected to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease were advised to immediately inform the veterinary officers as part of the measures to control its spread.  

The minister also requested stockbreeders and veterinarians to swiftly report cases of livestock animals that show symptoms of the disease so as to handle them accordingly.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

Severity of the disease

Foot-and-mouth disease is highly infectious and deadly to livestock. It affects cloven-hoofed animals – those whose hoof is split into two toes. They include cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs.

Symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), salivation, fever, mouth and foot lesions are the most frequently noted clinical signs of the disease, and are followed by the development of mouth and foot lesions and lameness.

Vaccine the only remedy

Solange Uwituze, the Deputy Director-General of Animal Research and Technology Transfer at Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB says that the disease has no treatment, noting that vaccination is the only way to protect livestock from it.

Slaughtering affected animals

According to the law of 2008 determining the prevention and fight against contagious diseases for domestic animals in Rwanda for public interests and with a view to stop the spreading of the foot-and-mouth disease the management of the entity in charge of animal resources development may order that all infected animals or suspected to be infected be slaughtered and the owner can be given compensation. It should base that on a report by the District authority.

Is the meat of affected animals safe for consumption?

Uwituze said that the affected livestock animals are safe for human consumption, but explained that the head, skin, and hooves are seized for destruction.

The law provides that where it is decided that the meat from animals which are suspected to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease be eaten, such meat shall be sold and eaten only in the affected area. Skins from such animals may be sold after being sprayed with insecticide in the presence of a competent veterinary authority.

The remains of the animal that was killed by foot-and-mouth disease shall be buried after being sprayed with relevant chemicals.

However, on actions taken on carcasses of animals that died of the foot-and-mouth disease, the law provides such carcasses shall be incinerated.

Penalties for violating the law

Where the framer does not comply with the instructions meant to curb spread of foot-and-mouth disease, their animal shall be slaughtered without any compensation, the law stipulates.

Other animals that shall be slaughtered without any compensation include any animal imported from or through zones of a country in which there is foot-and-mouth disease.

When is an animal suspected to be infected declared safe?

The animal suspected to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease is considered as non-infected when there are no symptoms 21 days after that it got in contact with an infectious object.