Iraq (04): spread, international livestock trade blamed, Request for information

Date: Wed 19 Feb 2025 18:11 AST
Source: Aawsat [in Arabic, machine trans., abridged, edited]
https://tinyurl.com/4adakb3v


Feelings of panic and fear are spreading among livestock farmers and the general public in Iraq due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), especially after official confirmations from the Ministry of Agriculture reporting over 3000 infections and the death of 654 buffalo.

The capital, Baghdad, appears to be the most affected by the virus. According to the ministry's spokesperson, Mohammed Al-Khuzai, FMD infections in buffalo have been recorded in the Al-Fadiliya, Jurf Al-Naddaf, Al-Wahda, and Al-Nahrawan areas of Baghdad Province.

Alongside concerns about the livestock industry, there is public anxiety regarding potential human health risks, prompting the government to repeatedly deny any such threat.

Following Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani's directive to form an investigative committee into buffalo and cattle infections, the government issued a statement emphasizing that FMD does not affect human health. The statement clarified that the disease cannot be transmitted to humans through the consumption of animal products such as meat, milk, or dairy products.

The statement also mentioned ongoing coordination between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to analyze samples in international reference laboratories.

Despite government efforts and the formation of investigative committees, the causes behind the outbreak of FMD remain controversial. Several allegations and narratives have emerged regarding whether imported livestock shipments are linked to the spread of FMD in Iraq.

The Ministry of Health stated that FMD cases first appeared on 5 Feb 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. It confirmed that it immediately began taking measures to contain the disease by dispatching specialized veterinary teams that are treating infected cattle and focusing on vaccinating unvaccinated animals, especially young calves, as most infections are concentrated in this age group.

Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the formation of an operations room to curb the spread of FMD, which concluded that infections were primarily concentrated in Baghdad.

Iraq's Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Jabr, confirmed on Wednesday [19 Feb 2025] that FMD infections among livestock have reached 3000 cases. However, he emphasized that "the disease is not new but has existed for over 90 years."

In a press conference, Jabr reassured livestock farmers that medications and vaccines are available free of charge, and that the government is implementing necessary measures to limit the spread of the disease.

The Ministry of Agriculture added that infections were primarily concentrated in unvaccinated animals and newborn calves. It confirmed the implementation of technical and professional measures, including quarantine procedures and animal movement restrictions, with 654 livestock deaths reported in an initial assessment.

The ministry also stated that the current infection rate stands at 3.9%, which remains within acceptable levels, and announced that new decisions will soon be issued to support livestock farmers and mitigate the damage.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday [18 Feb 2025], Baghdad Province announced that it had contacted the Operations Command to enforce a ban on animal movement within districts, sub-districts, and at the capital's entry points.

A statement from the province indicated that the request was based on an urgent letter from the Directorate of Agriculture, which included recommendations for local administrative units to instruct security authorities to prevent animal movement. It also called on Baghdad Municipality to direct its local offices to form committees responsible for removing and burying dead animals in a safe and regulated manner, away from riverbanks, homes, and residential areas.

The Baghdad Province statement also instructed slaughterhouses to cease animal slaughter unless they obtain prior approval from the Veterinary Department. It emphasized the need to monitor illegal slaughter practices to prevent the spread of animal diseases.

In Baghdad, there are many unregulated slaughter sites where livestock owners carry out slaughtering away from official slaughterhouses, often without complying with public health regulations imposed by the authorities.

[Byline: Fadhel Al Nachmi]

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