Rwanda announced a ban on importation of sheep, goat and their products from neighbouring Burundi following reports of a viral disease outbreak.
The Minister of Agriculture, Gerardine Mukeshimana, in a statement said the Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) that primarily affects goats and sheep has been reported in Burundi’s provinces of Gitega, Mwaro, Kirundo and Karuzi.
“Movement of livestock including sheep and goat and their products; meat, hides and fertilizers from Burundi are hereby banned,” the minister said in the statement.
She appealed to livestock farmers, traders, veterinary officers and security agencies in the country and at the border points to be vigilant.
The ministry added that the ban was based on a report about the disease outbreak that was done earlier by Burundian veterinary services and sent to the World Organisation for Animal Health, Xinhua reported.
According to the FAO, PPR, also known as sheep and goat plague, is a highly contagious animal disease affecting small ruminants.
Once introduced, the virus can infect up to 90 per cent of an animal heard, and kill between from 30 and 70 per cent of infected animals.
Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), also known as’goat plague’, is a viral disease of goats and sheep characterized by fever, sores in the mouth, diarrhea, pneumonia, and sometimes death.
The FAO said the virus does not infect humans.
The Express News