Cases Skyrocket, Mataram NTB Enters The PMK Virus Red Zone

Illustration of cattle belonging to residents of West Lombok, NTB, amid the threat of PMK. (ANTARA/Nirkomala)

JAKARTA - The city of Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has the status of a red zone for the spread of the oral and nail disease virus (PMK) in livestock.

Head of Livestock at the Mataram City Agriculture Service, Drh Dijan Riyatmoko, revealed that FMD cases in Mataram continued to soar from 260 on June 6 2022 to 335 on June 8, 2022.

According to Distan data as of Wednesday, June 8, there are 335 cattle in Mataram exposed to FMD, one of which is goat and the remaining 334 cows.

"Of that number, 97 have been declared cured, and 238 are still being treated," said Dijan in Mataram, quoted from Antara, Thursday, June 9.

Dijan said that some of the cattle that were declared healthy had been sold, and 31 of them were forcibly slaughtered. "Livestock affected by FMD can be consumed, as long as it is boiled not burned and FMD is not transmitted to humans," he added.

Dijan said that PMK transmission is predicted to be through the air because it spreads very quickly and occurs massively. This can be seen from the beginning of the first case, 10 cases were found on May 22, 2022, because farmers bought cattle outside the Mataram City area.

In fact, various efforts and anticipatory steps have been taken, such as closing livestock shipments from outside the region, closing animal markets, as well as socializing and sterilizing livestock cages owned by farmers.

"We have made these efforts from the start, but unfortunately we have not been able to reduce the number of transmissions and we cannot predict how long this condition will last," he said.

Related to that, his party has divided the team by assigning special officers who take care of livestock infected with the FMD virus, to be given special treatment by giving vitamins and drugs to reduce fever which causes the cattle's gums to blister.

Determination of livestock care workers exposed to FMD in each gathering pen, is intended to maintain cage sterilization and break the chain of FMD spread.

"We also ask for the participation of the community or breeders to immediately report if any of their cattle are sick, so that they can be handled quickly," he concluded.