The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey has confirmed an outbreak of FMD at eight enterprises in the country. Businesses have been quarantined until further notice, local newspaper Akşam reported, citing the ministry.
Enterprises are taking measures to eliminate the outbreak. The ministry has notified the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) of the situation.
To prevent the spread of the disease in the country, livestock sales were banned until further notice in all provincial and district markets, the newspaper notes. Intercity transportation of animals is also prohibited.
The Turkish Association of Veterinary Medicine has warned about the risks associated with foot and mouth disease throughout the country, especially in the earthquake area. Association President Murat Arslan noted that there are about 14 million head of cattle and sheep in the earthquake area. He urged to continue work on the vaccination of livestock to prevent animal diseases and to make this procedure free for farmers.
The inspection of local enterprises was launched after it became known about the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Iraq. The specialists sent the selected samples for research to the FMD Institute subordinate to the Ministry of Agriculture. Scientists have confirmed cases of infection of animals with FMD serotype SAT-2. This type of virus has never been seen before in the country. Scientists have already isolated the causative agent of this virus and have begun to study it for the production of a vaccine against it.
The ministry assured that Turkey has a sufficient supply of vaccines to immunize livestock.
Full version on the website In Turkey, eight enterprises were quarantined due to foot and mouth disease
