Namibia detects a new strain of foot-and-mouth disease

WINDHOEK - Namibia has detected a new strain of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the country that has infected thousands of cattle, the agriculture minister said in a statement on Thursday.

The viral disease, which causes lesions and lameness in cattle, sheep and other cloven-hoofed animals but does not affect people, was first detected in May in the Zambezi region bordering neighbour Zambia.

But, despite high vaccinations in the affected herds, worried officials noted that infection rates remained high and decided to investigate further.