Veterinary interests abound to cope with bluetongue in Le Kef
The observation of viral blue-tongue infections among cows in a local delegation sparked veterinary interests to protect livestock and contain the infection.
A local delegation from Le Kef registered cases of bluetongue in a number of cows at the end of October 2024, prompting health and veterinary interests to scramble in the field to monitor the status of the herd and take the necessary preventive measures to protect it from the spread of infection.
These cases, recorded specifically at the palace headquarters, have raised concerns among farmers and ranchers in the area, which prompted the local development council to send an official appeal to the governor of Le Kef and the regional agricultural development delegation to expedite intervention and provide urgent veterinary coverage to protect livestock wealth.
The Health Intervention Plan adopted in the face of the pandemic is based on Ministerial Publication No. 190 issued on 19 October 2020, which regulates health awareness mechanisms and activates regional committees concerned with disease-carrying insect resistance and infection control in various regions.
Blue tongue disease is a viral infection that infects galaxies and is transmitted through coliform insects without passing to humans, having been settled in Tunisia since 1999, where the country witnessed a widespread outbreak in October 2020 with 193 cases in central and coastal states with an infection rate of 4.2% and above 0.9%, before observing 33 additional cases in October 2021.
Future field steps include conducting inspection visits of veterinary interest groups to monitor the spread of the disease accurately, along with providing medicines and insecticides to the livestock farmer, as well as carrying out an assessment of the physical damage caused by injuries to look for ways to support affected farmers.