Taita Taveta refutes mad cow disease outbreak, regrets misleading alert » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 2 — Taita Taveta has refuted claims of a mad cow disease outbreak terming “panic and confusion” caused by an advisory issued by the County Commissioner as regratable.

The County Commissioner’s office had reported the alleged outbreak of the incurable and invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease in Njukini and Challa areas of the Taveta sub-county.

Erickson Kyongo, the County Executive Committee Member for Livestock and Agriculture, said in a response on Sunday the county has reported no unusual cases of animal deaths in the said areas.

“As a department with the mandate of carrying out livestock disease surveillance, food safety assurance and control of animal diseases in Taita Taveta County, I wish to assure the public that [there is] no animal disease outbreak in the county,” he said

The CECM said the Livestock Department dispatched a multi-sectoral team of experts to look into the matter saying the team picked no positive cases or hospital admissions linked to consumption of contaminated meat.

He assured residents of their safety, stating the department’s officers inspect and certify all meat sold in local butcheries as fit for human consumption.

“I regret the confusion caused to the public and livestock traders operating within the borders of Taita Taveta County, as a result of a letter from the County Commissioner,” he stated.

Kyongo said the county veterinary team has enhanced disease surveillance to detect and control any livestock disease.

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