Algeria: Disease outbreak kills thousands of cattle

More than 12,000 livestock have died in Algeria following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The Algerian Interior Ministry has classified the outbreak as a “major danger” after it spread to 28 states and killed thousands of livestock, causing markets to shut down for fear of selling infected meat.

The crisis has been aggravated by the fact that livestock owners are still waiting for vaccines, which have been delayed until the end of the month.

Despite instructions from Algeria’s Interior Minister, Noureddine Badawi, to form monitoring groups in all the affected states, fears that the epidemic will continue to spread have increased with the news that the vaccines will be delayed.

Head of the Algerian Consumer Protection Organisation, Mustapha Zebdi, said that the organisation is following this issue closely “because the consequences directly affect the consumer”.

The crisis has also led to an increase in meat prices due to a lack of supply.

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