Iraq responds: FMD triggers immediate containment efforts, investigative committee

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraqi health authorities launched disinfection and decontamination campaigns in buffalo farms following the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), while the government formed an investigative committee.

FMD in Babil

Shafaq News joined veterinary teams from Babil’s animal health department on visits to buffalo farms in the Al-Aifar area of Al-Ḥillah City. Meanwhile, health inspection teams checked butcher shops for compliance with health regulations amid the ongoing livestock disease outbreak.

Local authorities launched an extensive disinfection campaign in Al-Aifar, with the participation of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), heads of relevant departments, and under the supervision of Babil Provincial Council Chairman Asaad Al-Muslmawi, Head of the Security and Defense Committee Muhannad Al-Anzi, and several executive and legislative officials.

A three-phase plan, Al-Anzi noted, was developed to combat the disease. It includes comprehensive disinfection of infected villages, covering both animals and streets, setting up disinfection points at entrances, treating infected animals with appropriate medications while continuing veterinary inspections, and disposing of dead carcasses according to strict environmental guidelines.

Furthermore, a strict ban has reportedly been imposed on the movement of animals to and from infected areas, along with the closure of key and secondary entrances in Babil for 30 days, to prevent the disease from spreading to neighboring provinces.

FMD in Mosul

Omar Al-Hayali, director of the Veterinary Hospital in Mosul, Nineveh's capital, announced strict measures, including a halt to animal movement west of the city after cases were detected in Badosh.

"The hospital is closely monitoring the situation," Al-Hayali told Shafaq News, emphasizing that the outbreak remains under control and further updates will be provided soon.

Authorities have also formed an emergency task force and initiated surveillance in affected districts. Animal movement in designated outbreak zones has been suspended to prevent further spread across Nineveh.

FMD in Basra

In Basra, Iraq's southernmost province, veterinary Hospital Director Riyadh Mohammed confirmed cases in the province’s northern regions. "The number of infections is low and under control," he stated.

"FMD has been endemic in Iraq since the 1930s,” he clarified. “There is no need for panic, contrary to what is being circulated on social media.”

FMD in Wasit

Wasit Governor Muhammad Jamil Al-Mayahi announced a ban on livestock entering the province through external checkpoints after suspected cases were reported locally.

Al Mayahi further urged citizens to avoid purchasing meat from unlicensed butchers to ensure their safety.

Government Measures

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has ordered an investigative committee to examine the reported cattle and buffalo infections. The committee, composed of veterinary and livestock specialists, has begun field visits, sample collection, and coordination with both local experts and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for lab analysis, according to a statement from his media office.

Al-Sudani also instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to assess damages, track infection rates, and monitor the outbreak’s spread, assuring citizens that “this disease affects livestock only and does not pose a risk to humans through the consumption of animal products such as meat, milk, and dairy products.”

“It does not threaten consumer health.”

On February 15, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Veterinary Department imposed a 14-day ban on animal movement from infected zones, restricting transportation between Baghdad and other provinces. As the outbreak continues, buffalo farmers face difficulties disposing of dead livestock, with some abandoning carcasses on public roads, increasing the risk of disease transmission. While municipal and veterinary teams are working to collect and destroy the carcasses, delays in removal remain a threat to public health and sanitation.