Technical Emergency Support on FMD Surveillance and Control in Mauritius - TCP/MAR/3803​

Technical Emergency Support on FMD Surveillance and Control in Mauritius - TCP/MAR/3803

Year of publication 2025

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 7

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Project

Full item page

Synopsis (short abstract) Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease that affects cloven-footed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer. The disease is caused by a virus and has a significant economic impact. FMD is considered as one of the most important transboundary animal diseases (TAD), significantly reducing livestock production and hampering regional and international trade. The disease can cause high morbidity in naïve populations and high economic losses to the country in terms of international trade. Mauritius was considered historically free of FMD before June 2016. Unfortunately, the virus re-entered Rodrigues Island which later spread to Mauritius, resulting in the deaths of 710 cattle, 1 472 sheep and goats and 214 pigs, loss of meat and milk production and disruption of the international trade. In this context The Livestock and Veterinary Department (LVD) with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aimed to control FMD and also to minimize the risk of further spread of the disease into the territory of Mauritius. To this end, a vaccination programme was designed to be implemented in both Mauritius and the Rodrigues Islands.

Language English

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