Bahraini PM orders immediate measures to avert FMD outbreak

His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa directed immediate precautionary measures to avert any potential outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Bahrain.
A team of veterinaries has been assigned to survey the health situation of the livestock and send samples to the specialized labs so as to find out whether they test positive or negative.
Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Ministry Undersecretary for Agriculture and Marine Resources Shaikh Khalifa bin Isa Al-Khalifa gave directives to intensify the measures which were taken when the first FMD case was discovered on February 23.
He instructed the relevant directorate to enforce strict health measures, including cleansing, quarantine, immunization and the establishment of buffer zones to separate infected animal farms.
He also gave directives to immunize herds in the farms surrounding the affected area and treat the infected cases as per the protocols of The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
The Directorate of Agriculture and Marine Resources had announced through the press that three FMD cases had been found out of 300 cattle kept in two farms, adding that the necessary measures had been taken.
According to statistics compiled by the Animal Control and Health Directorate 293 cows have been so far diagnosed with the FMD virus, out of 5500 cows, which represents 5.3% of overall number.
The FMD cases have been located in 13 livestock farms across, out of 250 farms, which represents 5.2%.