About 200 cattle in Toro local government area of Bauchi State are said to be infected with Food and Mouth Disease .

The Veterinary Officer of the local government Adamu Abdu Jibrin who stated this while speaking to newsmen in Toro, described the disease as highly contagious among cattle especially at water point areas.

According to him, Food and mouth disease is a highly contagious viral infectious disease of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs that can also affect wild animals, especially buffalo, which act as a significant hosts and in which the disease is generally much milder than in cattle.

He explained that the virus can be harboured for periods in the nasopharynx of wild fauna, that is the respiratory system of the body.

Jibrin noted that the disease is mainly transmitted through inhalation or ingestion of the virus from contaminated feeds and direct contact with infected animals.

It is however pertinent to note that humans can also transfer infection to other animals through movement of people and vehicles from an infected premises to susceptible areas”

The Veterinary Officer  who described the incubation period on average of 3 to 8 days after which the animals would be infected with virus ,advised the people of the area to be vigilant, saying the disease can also affect human beings who may come in close contact with infected animals.

He  has  therefore called on the state government to urgently take the necessary measure to avert the spread of the disease.