Local authorities inspect the scene of a carcass in Melut County. (-)

MELUT, UPPER NILE STATE, (Eye Radio) – The Commissioner of Melut County in Upper Nile State has confirmed the deaths of 32 cattle from an unidentified disease, and instructed residents to avoid consuming meat and milk until the situation is determined.

The outbreak first occurred on April 3, where 29 cows were found dead, and on Friday, additional three were discovered dead and one more in critical condition.

Commissioner Chok Zain Arop, stated that a veterinary team was dispatched to the affected area, but it could not properly investigate the incident due to lack of equipment and laboratory facilities.

Mr. Arop said the cause of the outbreak remains undetermined. Despite vaccination efforts, the disease’s origin and its impact remain unclear.

He said the deaths primarily involved pregnant cows, with no reports of further outbreaks in other villages within Melut County.

However, authorities remain concerned as the cows are migrating in search of food and water, which could spread the disease to other area in the county.

“This unknown disease caused the death of 29 heads of cows. On Friday, we found 4 heads of cows, three of them died and the fourth was in critical condition,” Arop stated.

“We contacted the veterinary medicine in the county, and a veterinary team went to the area, but they lacked equipment for examination and a laboratory, and they were unable to determine the cause of death and the type of disease until now.”

“The disease is still unknown. The cows in the area were vaccinated, and until now, we have not received information about the exacerbation of the disease in Melut. The number of dead cows reached 32 cows, most of them pregnant cows.”

The commissioner appealed to state and national authorities, along with veterinary organizations, for urgent intervention to identify and contain the disease.

In response, local measures have been implemented, including preventing residents from consuming meat and drinking milk from the affected cattle to reduce the potential spread of the infection.

The commissioner said this is the first such outbreak of this nature in recent years, with previous disease outbreaks tied to flooding in the area. He added that although the situation had improved with the receding floods. Authorities are working to ensure swift action to prevent further losses.

“The good thing is that we have not received complaints from the rest of the villages in the county, but it is only in Melut.”

“I appeal to the state and national governance and organizations working in the field of veterinary medicine to intervene and detect the type of this disease because we are in the season of cows moving in search of food.”

“We are concerned about the cows movement which may cause the disease to be transmitted to another area that was safe. We took precautions by preventing local residents from consuming meat and drinking cow’s milk so that the infection would not be transmitted.”