Economy Report – Baghdad
On Sunday, the Ministry of Agriculture provided an update concerning the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Baghdad.
The official spokesperson for the Ministry, Mohamed Abdel-Reda Al-Khuza’i, stated that “cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been reported among buffalo in the Al-Fadiliya, Kurf Al-Ndaf, Al-Wahda, and Al-Nahrawan neighborhoods of Baghdad Governorate.” He emphasized that “veterinary personnel and supporting departments have been mobilized since the initial reports of disease spread, with teams deployed in hospitals and clinics to assess the health of affected animals. These animals have been sent to central laboratories for accurate diagnosis, leading to the provision of essential treatments, including antiviral therapies.”
He noted that “the severity of the illness has primarily impacted younger buffalo, with mortality rates around five percent, which are considered within natural limits.” Furthermore, he highlighted that “the veterinary health teams have made significant progress, resulting in a decrease in infection rates over the past two days.”
Al-Khuza’i reassured that “all necessary medications and antiviral treatments are readily available in sufficient quantities across hospitals and veterinary clinics throughout Iraq.” He clarified that “foot-and-mouth disease is transmittable only among animals and does not pose a risk to human health.”
He firmly denied the notion of an imported infection, explaining that “the affected animals have been thoroughly examined and are free from any epidemic diseases following all veterinary health protocols.” Al-Khuza’i asserted that “foot-and-mouth disease has been present in Iraq since the 1930s, with activity occurring approximately every four to five years, contingent upon certain conditions such as temperature fluctuations.”
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