PPR Disease Confirmed in Goats in Kailali and Kanchanpur Districts of Sudurpashchim Province

Kanchanpur. The infection of PPR disease, known locally as 'goat cholera,' has been confirmed in the Kailali and Kanchanpur districts of Sudurpashchim Province.

According to tests conducted at the Animal Investigation Laboratory in Dhangadhi, the results for samples collected from Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City in Kailali, and from Punarbas Municipality and Shuklaphanta Municipality in Kanchanpur, have come back 'positive.'

Senior Veterinarian at the laboratory, Naresh Prasad Joshi, stated that PPR infection has been observed in goats raised by commercial farms and local farmers. During the investigation, it was confirmed that the infection spread from goats illegally brought in from India without completing quarantine procedures. Senior Veterinarian Joshi suggested that the PPR virus may have spread to local herds from these illegally imported goats.

Due to animals brought in by bypassing health checks at the border, even healthy goats are now at risk. Animal technicians say that PPR is a highly contagious viral disease, posing a danger of spreading rapidly in a short time and causing high mortality rates.

Considering this situation, the Animal Service Office and the laboratory have urged farmers to strictly adopt biosecurity measures. It has been advised to mandatorily conduct health checks when purchasing new animals and to keep them isolated for at least 21 days before mixing them with the existing herd.

If symptoms such as high fever, mouth sores, discharge from eyes and nose, or diarrhea are observed in goats in the shed, farmers are requested to contact the nearest animal technician or veterinary hospital without delay.

It has been emphasized that such epidemics resulting from illegal animal trafficking seriously affect the entire livestock sector, necessitating stricter surveillance in border areas and increased awareness among farmers themselves.