Department Livestock and Animal Health has registered 10, 000 cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in 10 districts this year, Malawi News Agency (Mana) has learnt.  

In an interview with Mana on Monday, Chief Livestock Development and Animal Health Officer, Gilson Njunga said Chikwawa and Nsanje were the most affected areas where over 3, 000 cases   of FMD have been recorded.

“We have temporarily suspended livestock markets in the affected districts and temporarily banned slaughter of all livestock and we are still vaccinating animals in the affected areas.

“The department is still sensitizing farmers in the affected areas to continue practicing hygiene as a way of controlling the disease,” said Njunga.

He added that the department is still controlling the disease in various Agricultural Development Divisions to avoid the spread of FMD.

A local agricultural expert, Tamani Nkhono-Mvula who is also chief executive officer for ITN Development Consulting, said farmers need to report immediately to extension workers when they notice some symptoms of foot and mouth disease in livestock.

“We need to ensure that there is good hygiene in animal kraals, affected animals must be in quarantine to control the spread of the disease and it is important to provide enough information to farmers about the disease,” he said.

The affected districts include; Nsanje, Chikwawa, Mchinji, Lilongwe, Phalombe, Machinga, Mzimba, Kasungu, Dowa and Zomba.