The Ministry of Agriculture issued an official statement in which it announced: “Within the framework of monitoring the health status of livestock in Lebanon, and in the interest of transparency and providing accurate information to farmers and concerned parties, the Ministry of Agriculture announces that the initial results of samples sent from infected animals to the Pirbright World Reference Laboratory in the United Kingdom showed the presence of serotype SAT1 of the foot-and-mouth disease virus, in addition to subtype III (Topotype III).”
The statement also added: “It is worth mentioning that this subtype is genetically linked to the type previously reported in some countries in the region, such as Turkey and Azerbaijan, and has no relation to the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Ministry also confirms that the entry of the virus into Lebanon was through illegal smuggling, and not through the official import of cows and livestock.”
The statement also read: “The Ministry of Agriculture affirms that these results call for vigilance and the strengthening of preventive veterinary measures in all livestock farms, to ensure the protection of cows, sheep and goats, and to ensure the safety of local production from any potential health risks.”
The statement continued: “The Ministry is working in coordination with the competent authorities locally and internationally to: Monitor the health status of livestock on a daily basis, implement preventive measures and veterinary guidelines in farms, update protocols and precautionary measures in accordance with the recommendations of international laboratories.”
The ministry concluded its statement by affirming that: “The ministry also confirms that it will issue the final report as soon as it is available, including full scientific details, and practical recommendations for dealing with this case safely and effectively.”
