Liberia: Health Authorities Examine Strange Case of Dead Cattle in Lofa

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), through its Field Office in Lofa County, has confirmed the discovery of dead cattle in a field in Kelima Bendu Town, Foyah District, Lofa County.

The State Broadcaster’s Lofa County correspondent, Tokpa Tarnue, reported late Thursday, July 8, the discovery of 36 dead cattle in Kelima Bendu Town.

Kelima Bendu is situated 296 km northwest of the Liberian capital Monrovia and pinned 10 km and 16 km away from the sisterly Republics of Sierra Leone and Guinea, respectively.

In a press release, the MOA said a team of animal health specialists is investigating the cause(s) of death under the coordinated inter-governmental ONE HEALTH PLATFORM.

The platform comprises the Ministries of Agriculture and Health along with the National Public Health Institute, Environmental Protection Agency, and Forestry Development Authority.

“After the scientific determination of the mortality cause(s), the full findings will be released to the public,” the release stated. 

Thus far, there has been no report of dead cattle being discovered in other parts of Lofa or other counties.

Additionally, the MOA’s animal health practitioners have stepped-up surveillance of herds of cows and slaughterhouses across the country.

The MOA calls on the public to report unexplained deaths of cattle in their communities to nearby health posts and MOA’s field officers for timely responses.