Colombia’s agriculture minister said Tuesday the country had successfully curbed an outbreak of foot and mouth disease after putting down some 3,000 animals.
The announcement came a month after initial reports of an outbreak of the animal disease spurred a number of foreign countries to ban Colombian meat imports.
Russia, Curacao suspend Colombian beef shipments due to foot and mouth
According to Agricultural Minister Aurelio Iragorri, the spreading of the illness — allegedly re-introduced to the country through illegal cattle imports from Venezuela — had been stopped after the isolating and killing of potentially infected cattle in four municipalities along the Venezuelan border and in the central Cundinamarca province.
“There have been no new outbreaks” since the government intervention, Iragorri claimed in the press release.
Colombia will now ask the World organization for Animal Health to be declared free of foot and mouth disease, which would allow the resumption of exports to countries that halted beef shipments.