Botswana (North East) cattle, suspected, request for information

Published Date: 2022-08-26 13:33:52 BST
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease - Botswana (NE) cattle, suspected, RFI
Archive Number: 20220826.8705242

FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE - BOTSWANA: (NORTH EAST) CATTLE, SUSPECTED, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

A ProMED-mail post http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases http://www.isid.org

Date: Wed 24 Aug 2022
Source: Reuters [edited]
https://www.reuters.com/article/botswana-exports/botswana-suspends-beef-exports-over-suspected-foot-mouth-outbreak-idINL8N30042H


Botswana has suspended beef exports after a suspected outbreak of foot and mouth disease [FMD], the Department of Veterinary Services said on Wednesday [24 Aug 2022], a move that could hurt the country's earnings from the lucrative EU market.

Along with South Africa and Namibia, Botswana is one of the biggest beef exporters to the European Union, where it enjoys duty- and quota-free access and where it saw export earnings drop from USD 130 million in 2010 to USD 20 million in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, central bank statistics show.

"Farmers are informed that a movement standstill for all cloven hoof animals has been imposed due to suspected FMD cases in the North East District," Kefentse Motshegwa, acting director of Veterinary Services, said, adding that exports of fresh meat and raw animal products have been suspended.

"The movement restriction facilitates disease investigation and will be lifted once investigations are concluded," Motshegwa added.

Botswana, which is the size of France, has seen its cattle population fall to 2 million from 3.1 million 10 years ago due to persistent drought spells and disease outbreaks.

Apart from the EU, Botswana exports beef and live cattle to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa, which has also had to tackle sporadic outbreaks of FMD.

[Byline: Brian Benza]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED Rapporteur Mahmoud Orabi

[Botswana has been maintaining the status of 'WOAH member having an FMD free zone where vaccination is not practised, according to the provisions of Chapter 8.8. of the Terrestrial Code (https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-code-online-access/?id=169&L=1&htmfile=chapitre_fmd.htm)".

The (14) zones are presented on an WOAH map (provided by the delegate of Botswana), available at https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2021/05/eng-botswana.png. The map's legend specifies the respective zones.

The North-East district borders Zimbabwe, where FMD is endemic (map at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-East_District_(Botswana)#/media/File:Botswana_-_North-East.svg).

Namibia, Botswana's western/northern neighbor, maintains the same FMD status (WOAH map available at https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2021/09/f-namibia-fmd.jpg).

On its south and south-east, Botswana borders the Republic of South Africa, which has lost its FMD-free status and is currently suffering an epizootic of FMD serotype SAT-3.

Confirmation or otherwise of the suspected FMD outbreak in Botswana's North-East district, the affected population and, in case confirmed, the identity of the causative FMD virus strain and its source, are requested.

Botswana Vaccine Institute is a main player in the production of FMD vaccines, regionally and beyond. Reportedly, the vaccines are composed of regional virus strains (Type SAT 1, Type SAT 2, Type SAT 3, type O, Type A) (https://bvi-bw.com/our-products/). - Mod.AS

ProMED map:
Botswana: https://promedmail.org/promed-post?place=8705242,169]