Amman, Agriculture Minister Khaled Hanifat on Saturday checked first-hand on measures to deal with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Dhleil district in the Zarqa Governorate.
He told a meeting with the Dhleil district director, mayor, experts from universitoes and representatives of cattle associations that the ministry had embarked on measures to contain the disease, including isolation and sterilization of infected herds and farms and barring the entry of animals to and exit from the region.
The minister said a team of technical experts from the ministry had taken samples and carried out procedures to verify the disease and the type of strain or its development.
The ministry, in cooperation with university experts and associations, will develop “a clear road map” to curb the disease, prevent its spread to farms and provide vaccinations in the event of a new strain, as well as declare all infections with transparency, he said.
Hanifat assured that no infections were recorded in sheep or cattle outside Dhleil or nearby areas.
He explained that FMD is not transmitted to humans and that dairy and meat products from infected animals do not pose any risk to a human, adding that the disease is endemic in the region, but “we are ready to deal with it.”
Hanifat also said damage assessment committees will come up with an action plan to mitigate the impact of the disease on farmers, based on a study of milk loss, including low-intrerest loans from the Agricultural Credit Corporation.
Source: Jordan News Agency