On August 24, the People's Committee of Quang Tri province confirmed that the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic occurring in local buffalo and cow herds is developing complicatedly.
From the end of June 2024 until now, in Quang Tri province, the epidemic has occurred in 5 communes and towns of 2 districts of Huong Hoa and Dakrong. Both of these districts have decided to declare an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in areas with serious epidemics.
To date, the total number of infected cattle is 143, of which 3 have died.
When the epidemic occurred, the People's Committee of Quang Tri province directed units to use disease prevention measures according to regulations to limit the spread and occurrence of epidemics.
However, due to the dangerous and rapidly spreading nature of the disease and the limited awareness of disease prevention and control among farmers, the number of infected cattle and buffaloes has increased and has not been controlled. Currently, the cattle and buffalo herd have expired, but the locality does not have a vaccine.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Tri province, funding to buy vaccines is fully allocated, but due to the Bidding Law with Decree 24 being amended, procedures must be redone, leading to slow bidding.
"In fact, there must be a vaccine to vaccinate from March to April 2024. But the law changed, so the vaccine cannot be bid. Currently, the documents have been submitted to the People's Committee of Quang Tri province, but to complete the procedures, bidding it will take a whole month to complete" - Mr. Nguyen Phu Quoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Tri province, said.
Therefore, Quang Tri province requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to support 27,000 doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine types O and A; 2,000 liters of Benkocid chemical and 1,500 liters of Via-Iodine chemical from the National reserve. When these vaccines and chemicals are available, localities will deploy vaccination and stamp out foot-and-mouth disease more effectively.
