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By Mariam Muttawa.
Tripoli, 15 September 2013:
Fresh outbreaks of Bluetongue and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) have forced farmers to cull infected . . .[restrict]sheep, and officials have called on traders to restrict the movement of animals.
Zliten has been badly affected, with farmers forced to kill a large number of sheep after dual outbreaks of the diseases.
Officials have started disinfecting areas where the diseases are active and have called on traders to stop the movement of livestock for two weeks. Infected animals need to be isolated so that farms be properly disinfected. Precautions also need to be taken with dead animals which, officials said, must be burned and buried deep in the ground.
Livestock in Misrata are also at risk and sheep breeders have been told to take preventative measures to stop the disease spreading, preventing an epidemic.
An official at the Ministry of Agriculture told the Libya Herald that, although rates of infection were currently very high, this was not unusual for this time of year. Both diseases are exacerbated by seasonal weather changes from warmer to cooler temperatures.
FMD is an ongoing problem in Libya, with three of the seven strains of the condition identified in farms across the country. It is usually controlled by treatment with antibiotics, quarantine and disinfection of premises.
Bluetongue is a virus that mainly affects sheep and can be spread by small sand flies. It poses no danger to humans. [/restrict]
