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Brazil confirms new foot-and-mouth outbreaks
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-02-21 10:22
Another six cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed among
livestock raised in Brazil's Parana state near the borders with Argentina and
Paraguay, said Minister of Agriculture Gabriel Alvez Maciel on Monday.
The minister said that the ministry had quarantined the affected farms, and
informed the Panamerican Animal Health Organization of the cases that have been
located in the municipalities of Bela Vista do Paraiso, Grandes Rios, Maringa
and Loanda.
"The outbreaks have hit farms which had already been placed under quarantine
by the state's veterinary service. Nine farms in Parana were identified as
suspicious in November last year," he said.
Foot-and-mouth has been detected in seven of the nine farms, the first of
which was announced on December 5 last year. A total of 4,500 heads of cattle
raised on the seven affected farms have been ordered by the ministry to be
slaughtered, he added.
Foot-and-mouth was first detected in October and November last year in the
state of Mato Grosso do Sul, which exports the single largest amount of
Brazilian beef. Since then, 56 countries have restricted the importation of
related products from Brazil.
Authorities are now investigating the links
between outbreaks in Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana.
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