Gaborone, Feb 2 : Botswanan veterinary authorities confirmed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at a village in the northeastern part of the southern African country, near the border with Zimbabwe.

Kobedi Segale, acting director of veterinary services in the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, confirmed the disease, which was first detected at Jackalas 1 village in the Tsamaya Extension Area of the Masunga district.

"Laboratory testing on the samples collected from some of the animals in the affected area confirmed the presence of the FMD," said Segale during a consultative meeting with cattle farmers at the village's main customary court.

He said the exact number of affected cattle has yet to be confirmed, as authorities have intensified surveillance to determine the magnitude of the impact.

On Wednesday, Botswana announced suspected FMD cases in its North East District, prompting immediate animal movement restrictions and a swift government response.

To contain the spread of the disease, veterinary authorities have since started implementing control measures, including strict quarantine enforcement, livestock movement controls, surveillance in and around affected locations, and farmer awareness campaigns, Xinhua news agency reported.

FMD is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact.

The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.

Intensively reared animals are more susceptible to the disease than traditional breeds. The disease is rarely fatal in adult animals, but there is often high mortality in young animals due to myocarditis or, when the dam is infected by the disease, lack of milk.

FMD is characterised by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves. The disease causes severe production losses, and, while the majority of affected animals recover, the disease often leaves them weakened and debilitated.

All seven of the serotypes have also been found in wildlife. African buffalo are important carriers for FMDV. Other species of wildlife do not seem to be able to maintain FMD viruses.

/IANS