Authorities Issue Warning as Foot-and-Disease Found in a West Java City

TheIndonesia.co - The government of the city of Sukabumi in West Java province has issued a warning after foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was found in two cattle in Cikole sudistrict.

The public warning issued by local authorities mainly addressed local farmers within the area and asked them to be more cautious of the spread of FMD as it has been reportedly been detected in Sukabumi.

“The public, especially famers, need to be more alert to the spread of FMD in their livestock. For example, in the meantime, [they] shouldn’t transport any cattle from regions in which FMD have been detected,” head of food security, agriculture, and fisheries office in Sukabumi Andri Setiawan said on Wednesday, June 1, as reported by Antara.

According to him, two cattle that originated from Salatiga, Central Java, were confirmed to have contracted the viral diseases upon health assessment by animal health officers. The two animals are currently being isolated at a barn owned by the farmer to prevent further spread.

The office has administered vitamins and antibiotics to recover the cattle as well as disinfecting the barn.

Setiawan said his office will continue to coordinate with Sukabumi Police and the agriculture office in Sukabumi regency to closely monitor the transport of livestock to and from Sukabumi municipality.

Chief of Sukabumi Police Pol. Adjunct Senior Commissioner SY Zainal Abidin confirmed that his unit has been instructed to increase guard at the borders in relation to the transport of livestock bound for Sukabumi. The health of these livestock must be assessed by officers, and complete permit documents must be present.

“Without complete documents from related office in the origin city, we instruct our officers to [order] transport to return to its place of origin,” Abidin said.