Maputo — The Mozambican livestock authorities have restricted the movement of cattle in Moamba district, in Maputo province, because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Foot-and-mouth is regarded as one of the most important diseases of hoofed animals because of its capacity for rapid transmission and spread, with damaging economic impacts due to restrictions on the movement of animals and their derivatives from one area to another.

According to Paulo Cossa, the Maputo Provincial Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, the movement of cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs in Moamba is currently prohibited because of the outbreak.

"We have recorded an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Sábie administrative post', he said. "We have isolated that area and we have started to take restrictive measures to prevent the disease from spreading to more regions. It means that the movement of animals for breeding and sale in that district is forbidden'

He guaranteed that the authorities are working in order to control the disease by "testing the suspected animals.'

In 2023, the government was challenged to mobilize funds to purchase over one million doses of vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease, aiming to complete the immunization of cattle in the country. Most of the vaccines were destined for Maputo, Gaza, Manica, Tete and Niassa provinces, which were facing active outbreaks of the disease at the time.