News
Foot-and-mouth in five districts
Amid an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease spreading in five districts — Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Ampara and Vavuniya — health authorities have been directed to ban all forms of meat other than poultry and introduce other stringent measures. Also brought under the ban is the Divisional Secretary’s Division in the Mullaitivu District.
All meat stalls selling beef, pork and mutton will be closed down with immediate effect. Supermarkets will also be banned from selling these products if they are obtained locally. Different Gazette Notifications have been issued by Dr. W. K. De Silva, the Director General of the Department of Animal Production and Health. They declare the five districts and the DS area as ‘infected areas’ and have warned that cattle, buffalos, sheep, goats and pigs are susceptible. The order, however, will not apply to poultry.
The health authorities in the districts have been directed to ban the slaughter, transportation or sale of any infected animals or meat. Holding live animal market shows or competitions involving susceptible species have also been banned under provisions of the Animal Diseases Act.
Batticaloa DIG Indu Karunaratne said that Police were setting up roadblocks in the districts to check illegal transportation of infected animals or meat. He said he was awaiting instruction to check meat stalls. A Police Headquarters official said similar measures were also being adopted in other affected areas.
Police officials have been empowered under the Animal Diseases Act to serve as authorised officers to deal with those violating guidelines set out by the health authorities. Dr. Gamini Ratnayake, Acting Director General of the Department of Animal Production and Health, said that despite stringent control mechanisms adopted by the authorities, illicit transportation of cattle was continuing and therefore the regulations were put in place.
“This was done to prevent the virus from spreading to other provinces. The meat that comes to these areas mainly comes from special slaughterhouses in the North Central Province areas such as Kekirawa. “Availability of meat in the local market would be affected by this but it is important to take measures to limit the virus from spreading. Milk production in the declared zones will also come to a halt. Further the move will have a long-term impact as artificial insemination of cattle will also be stopped,” Dr. Ratnayake said.
The Department will monitor the situation closely and will lift the ban if new cases are not reported within the next three months.