Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Agriculture Ministry has taken a swift step to control and prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in livestock in Central Java.
In a press statement released on Saturday, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo stressed the significance of swift action and synergy among the central government, regional governments, and stakeholders to stay alert and accelerate efforts to recover livestock detected positive for FMD.
"There has been an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, and we have looked at a very positive trend of recovery. Today, everybody may say that. Our swift reaction to take the step has been fruitful," he remarked.
He highlighted several keys to accelerating the efforts to handle FMD.
First, all sides stayed calm after the government fielded teams to work optimally, so that the handling of FMD is improved.
Second, steps were taken to improve data.
"It is time for us to improve and factualize data, including the number of animals contracting foot-and-mouth disease. The data must be objective and normative," he explained.
Third, the government has set up a national task force. Hence, provincial and district governments must soon establish provincial and district task forces as a follow up to the central government's instruction.
The task forces function as units to draft and implement an action agenda and serve as information center.
The Agriculture Ministry announced on Wednesday that six districts in two provinces have reported an outbreak of FMD in livestock.
"The Agriculture Ministry has set two areas hit by outbreaks of the foot-and-mouth disease in animals. The areas are two districts in Aceh Province and four districts in East Java," Limpo stated at a press conference here.
The two districts hit by the FMD outbreak in Aceh are Aceh Tamiang and East Aceh, while the four districts in East Java are Gresik, Sidoarjo, Lamongan, and Mojokerto, Limpo stated.
According to the ministry's data, 3,205 heads of livestock had been infected with FMD in East Java, with the death rate reaching 1.5 percent. Meanwhile, 2,226 heads of livestock had contracted FMD in Aceh, with one death recorded so far.
FMD affects cloven-hoofed animals, such as cows, goats, sheep, and pigs, Limpo stated. The disease is transmitted through air or direct contact.
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