The FMD outbreak has greatly impacted our economy.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinator of the Expert Team of the Task Force for Handling of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Wiku Adisasmito stated that the transmission of FMD can be curbed by implementing strict and thorough biosecurity.

Hence, the cattle farming areas and equipment need to be disinfected regularly, he stressed.

"In addition, restriction must be applied, so that not just anyone can enter the areas that are prone to FMD (transmission)," he remarked in an online press conference monitored here on Tuesday.


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Adisasmito remarked that the public can disinfect the contaminated cattle cages and farming equipment using easy and cheap materials, such as citric acid and boric acid.

While inspecting cages, farmers are not allowed to wear the same clothing or attributes used while visiting the previous cage to curb transmission of the virus, he emphasized.

"The FMD outbreak has greatly impacted our economy. The number of perished cattle is not a mere figure (since it also reflects the economic losses), especially for the breeders," he added.

On the same occasion, he also noted that the government had managed to maintain the status of 15 provinces as FMD green zones. Hence, disease has infected the livestock in 22 provinces, as the figure has not increased in the last week.

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However, the number of infected districts or cities were increased to become 265 regions. Hence, the government had implemented conditional slaughter on the infected animals to prevent the spread of the virus.

The government has been committed to providing assistance to farmers affected by the transmission of FMD, with Rp10 million (US$664.06) for cows or buffaloes, Rp1.5 million (US$99.61) for sheep or goats, and Rp2 million (US$132.81) for pigs.

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Translator: Devi Ramadhan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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