Foot and Mouth Disease in Indonesia Raises Foreign Animal Disease Concerns

Indonesia, with the help of Australia, is taking steps to control a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in that country. As part of its September newsletter the Swine Health Information Center has released its monthly domestic and global swine disease surveillance reports.

Swine Health Information Center Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says Foot and Mouth Disease virus has been on the radar for global detection since May because there have been substantial outbreaks, particularly in Indonesia where approximately 500 thousand animals have been infected.

Clip-Dr. Megan Niederwerder-Swine Health Information Center:

This is primally cattle but there have been also some pigs infected.They have started to deploy a strategic vaccine campaign to contain and reduce Foot and Mouth Disease virus spread.So far they have vaccinated approximately 1.6 million livestock.And specifically, we've seen the Australian government really step up to help their neighbours.Of course, there's a close geographic proximity between Indonesia and Australia.

They've announced recently that they will be supporting Indonesia with approximately ten million dollars in biosecurity packages to assist Indonesia in response and also help prepare Australia for potential FMD.Thinking about what they've provided, has been help with vaccination, also Australia has really increased their border protection with regard to that close proximity so implementing strategies at the border and airports to help prevent the virus from being introduced from Indonesia to Australia and then also Australia has been focussed on their preparation for a potential incursion.

Dr. Niederwerder says, hopefully with the vaccine campaign currently ongoing in Indonesia, we will see a reduction in those FMD outbreaks.