The health services of the province of Tizi Ouzou reported yesterday [Sun 15 Jul 2018] 16 suspected cases of foot and mouth disease [FMD]. The 16 head of cattle sent to the slaughterhouse were reported in 3 separate outbreaks -- first in Frikat, in the circle of Draa El Mizan, then in Tizi Gheniff in the same region, and finally in Mekla on the east side of the province.
In Frikat, the number of suspected head were yesterday, 13 in 2 different locations. It is in this commune that the majority of the cases were recorded. The veterinary services of the local subdivision reacted quickly, isolating the infected livestock. Cleaning and disinfection operations were quickly carried out on site. The same measures were taken during the various phases, such as the transport of animals suffering from the disease and the transfer to the slaughterhouse. The same speed characterized the interventions carried out in the communes of Tizi Gheniff and Mekla where other head were slaughtered to avoid spread. Disinfection operations were also carried out through the farms of the 2 communes. At the same time, the services concerned have launched information and prevention operations in order to prevent the disease from developing in other outbreaks.
It should be noted that FMD, a highly contagious disease, signs its return after 2 years of absence. The province of Tizi Ouzou has had a very difficult time, when dozens of cases were reported before the disease spread through several communes. As a reminder, FMD contaminated the herds of the province that year , with head bought from the province of Setif and transported to Tizi Ouzou in unhygienic conditions. The spread of the disease has been very fast. It took a lot of time and effort to control the disease. Hundreds of head were slaughtered, and indiscriminate losses hit the farmers.
During the 2 years that followed, FMD was not reported in the province.
The province of Tizi Ouzou is the national leader in the production of milk. It is home to the largest village in Algeria for milk production, which is Imaloussen. The locality, whose inhabitants live essentially from this activity, is located in the commune of Timizart, circle of Ouaguenoun. These exemplary achievements have been successful in a context marked by great difficulties experienced by breeders. Many pastoralists face difficulties in accessing the feed they need for their livestock, resulting in the slaughtering of thousands of animals.
[Following the recurrence of FMDV serotype O to Algeria, reportedly on 20 Jun 2018, affecting cattle on a farm in Mekla, Tizi Ouzou province (date of previous occurrence 3 May 2015), 3 additional outbreaks in the same province were reported to the OIE in follow-up No 1 report on 10 Jul 2018. For the 2 reports and a map showing the 4 outbreaks as of 9 Jul 2018, see http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review/viewsummary?fupser=&dothis=&reportid=27085.
The current media-sourced information is indicative of further spread of this epizootic, in the coastal province. The genotyping results of the currently circulating virus strain are anticipated with interest; the 2014-2015 FMD-O epizootic, which eventually engulfed all 3 Maghreb countries, was caused by the virus strain genotyped as topotype ME-SA, lineage Ind-2001d (genotyping report of a Tunisian sample at http://www.wrlfmd.org/fmd_genotyping/2014/WRLFMD-2014-00029%20O%20Tunisia%202014.pdf).