Veterinary teams in the Ministry of Agriculture have rejected over 61,500 heads of livestock imported from African countries and quarantined 18,900 imported sheep that were afflicted with diseases such as smallpox, foot-and-mouth disease and contagious skin inflammation, according to a source. Veterinary teams banned the entry of livestock carrying smallpox and foot-and-mouth disease and those animals were returned to their countries of origin on ships that had come from those countries, said a source in the Ministry of Agriculture, which bars the entry of diseased livestock. Sheep with the contagious skin inflammation were quarantined and transferred to locations in southern Jeddah to be treated and monitored, said a source, who added that they will be cleared for entry if they are cured. Veterinary teams allowed the entry of 21,000 live sheep and camels that were confirmed to be safe and free from serious epidemic diseases, according to sources. The animals were cleared after fulfilling conditions, including the veterinary check, established by the Ministry of Agriculture.
