Yesterday a new outbreak was detected in Miyazaki, far from the original outbreaks. This time close to the border of Kagoshima and Kumamoto in the core area of livestock production. (see map).
Map of Kyushu from JR Kyushu's website.
It seems that it has most likely been spread either by cars or humans.
I am not sure if additional quarantine measures are going to be taken, but it seems to vindicate Australian quarantine having people from the UK walking through disinfectant as they got off the plane during FMD outbreaks there.
The Ministry of Agriculture has apologised that the previous outbreak took so long to contain. I'm not really sure if that constitutes an admission of things done wrongly, or whether it is simply an expression of regret. There is a no confidence motion in the Agriculture Minister being voted on this week. What ever the outcome is on his future, the livelihoods of many Kyushu farmers, depends on the spread being halted as a matter of urgent priority.
4 comments:
I was in England in 2001 when they had foot and mouth. This is very sad for the farmers. Where are they getting rid of all the animals they have to destroy?
They are burying them in massive pits. They have actually stopped culling vaccinated cattle in some places (the properties are still under quarantine) because they have yet to source enough land to bury them.
The international society for infectious diseases has an interesting thread that charts the spread of the disease. (see links below) The inital cases did not present as typical FMD, which delayed attempts to contain it. It is hard to blame the vets.
Lack of available vets has also created considerable additional stress.
Links
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:622670796596278::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,83144
or if that doesn't work
http://tinyurl.com/2djltc4
Thank you. I will follow your blog for any future updates
There are still outbreaks happening. There was talk in the media of it being spread by wild animals, but it seems improbably since the outbreaks occured so far from infected areas. Local roads have been closed to all but local traffic, disinfection checkpoints have been set up along the major roads. The new PM visited yesterday and has expressed the govts. solidarity and committment to get things under control. Lets hope...
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