Acting Head of Kulon Progo District Tri Saktiyana noted in a statement on Tuesday that the Kulon Progo Agriculture and Food Office had undertaken measures to counter the FMD outbreak in the area in order to keep the condition under control.
Nonetheless, there was still a need for extensive dissemination of information to the public regarding the outbreak handling in order to prevent further transmission and panic.
"We still need more extensive education about FMD, so that information about FMD is (spread) in a more proportional way, because there are people, who are very, very paranoid and panicky, but there are also those who think it's normal. It is also necessary to explain that FMD will not be transmitted to other people, but rather, it is human interactions that can transmit the disease between cows," Saktiyana noted.
The Kulon Progo administration had made stricter preparations regarding animal distribution control to prevent animals susceptible to FMD from entering from outside the region as a means to ensure a safe Eid slaughter process during the FMD outbreak, he stated.
Moreover, the Agriculture and Food Office will assist during the slaughtering process that is also backed up by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Gadjah Mada University to monitor and assist the slaughtering process at animal slaughter places.
"To control FMD, animal (distribution) between regions will be monitored (in a stricter way). Animals entering Kulon Progo must be recommended (through an) animal health certificate (issued by) the agency related to the animal's origin. Monitoring prior to the Eid slaughter will also be (conducted), as well as assistance received from the Agriculture and Food Office at animal slaughter points," he noted.
He also said that people might do takbir (praises), but it was limited to only the village area. He also appealed to the community to ensure an orderly, safe, and secure environment during the upcoming celebration of Eid al-Adha.
Related news: Govt launches FMD vaccination program from East Java
Head of the Kulon Progo Agriculture and Food Service Aris Nugroho informed that the FMD outbreak case in Kulon Progo District was still under control. As of June 13, there were 307 FMD cases, majority of which were from one ranch, and the recovery rate had reached 40 percent.
"The latest data (showed) 307 sick animals, with a recovery rate of 40 percent. This shows that FMD can be cured. We urge the public to report immediately, should there be any symptoms in their livestock, (so they could) be treated immediately. In general, the 307 cases were spread only in centralized cages, he stated.
Nugroho also noted that the disease did not affect the sacrificial animals' stock in Kulon Progo, and some of the sacrificial animals from outside Kulon Progo that were distributed to the area had been screened thoroughly.
"Until now, the stock of livestock for sacrifice is still (good)," he noted.
Related news: Agriculture Ministry to roll out FMD vaccination on June 14
Translator: Sutarmi, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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