Govt lifts quarantine in Sembabule sub-counties

Government has partially lifted a cattle quarantine in six out of seven sub- counties in Sembabule District where Foot and Mouth Disease has been contained.

The sub-counties where the quarantine has been lifted include; Mateete, Lwebitakuli, Lwemiyaga, Mijwala and Sembabule Trading Centre.

According to the minister of State for Animal Industry, Ms Joy Kabatsi, the quarantine now remains enforced in only Lugusuulu Sub-county where cases are still being reported.

The petition
The decision has come days after Sembabule District Executive Committee (DEC) and the district security committee petitioned the commissioner for animal health and entomology to lift the quarantine in disease-free sub–counties in the district.

“The Cabinet took a decision to maintain the quarantine in only affected sub –counties in the country and for Sembabule, it is Lugusuulu Sub-county where the disease has persisted,” Minister Kabatsi said by telephone on Wednesday.

She said under this new arrangement, all people, vehicles and other goods moving out of the affected sub-county will be disinfected using Virukill disinfectant to avoid spread of the viral disease.

“ Loading of livestock on trucks will in the meantime be carried out at individual farms as we make arrangements to re-open cattle markets in the district,” she added.

In 2015, government through the Ministry of Agriculture, declared a quarantine in the district and indefinitely closed cattle markets to avert the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

According to Mr Jude Kiganda, the Sembabule District vice chairperson, the quarantine did not only affected farmers but also dwindled the district revenue.