SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s agriculture ministry recognized on Monday 16 states and the country’s federal district as areas free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination.
The measure is part of an effort to make Brazil completely free of the highly contagious disease without vaccination by 2026.
Foot-and-mouth causes fever, mouth blisters and foot ruptures in cattle and swine, as well as sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.
The ministry also banned the storage, sale and use of vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease in these states, it said in a statement, adding that it will restrict the movement of animals and products from states that still vaccinate its animals against the disease.
The ban comes into effect on May 2, and will last until the World Organization for Animal Health grants all of Brazil’s states the status of free of the disease without vaccination.
(Reporting by Peter Frontini; editing by Gabriel Araujo, Kirsten Donovan)
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