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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Health Crisis - Focus on Cholera and Anthrax - Index of articles
Anthrax
outbreak hits Lupane butcheries
The
Chronicle (Zimbabwe)
December 04, 2008
Lupane District
has been hit by a shortage of beef following the closure of butcheries
after the outbreak of anthrax last month.
Reports emanating
from the district indicate that the shortage of the commodity has
since pushed the price of chickens to as much as 120 rand per bird
as the demand is growing.
Residents of
Lupane centre told Chronicle yesterday in telephone interviews that
beef has been scarce in the district since the outbreak of the disease,
which claimed two lives and killed 147 cattle.
"People
have been forced to turn to other sources of relish as a result
of the shortage of meat. Chickens are now in demand and villagers
are recording brisk business," said a resident.
"Villagers
are capitalising on the situation and one bird can fetch as much
as 120 rand. Those who cannot afford that amount are now vegetarians."
Over the years,
Lupane District has been a source of cattle for slaughter for butchers
from other areas like Bulawayo.
The Matabeleland
North capital's butcheries have also been popular with motorists
and other travellers along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road as their
price is cheaper compared to other urban centres.
In an interview
yesterday, the Matabeleland North Provincial Veterinary Services
Department officer, Dr Polex Moyo, said the closure of the butcheries
would be lifted in three weeks time as the situation had improved.
"We had
to enforce the closure of butcheries last month as a measure to
protect members of the public from the disease. However, since we
finished vaccinating the cattle in the district last week, it will
be considered safe to open the butcheries," said Dr Moyo.
"Normally, the quarantine period takes one month and from
that period the animals are considered to be safe. The last cattle
were vaccinated last week and we normally count the quarantine period
from the last date of vaccination. Therefore, before the end of
the month, the butcheries in that district will be opened."
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