The Republic faces Congo Democracy is facing a new health crisis after the death of about 150 head of cattle due to a mysterious disease believed to be transmitted by ticks, in a development that has raised widespread concerns about the safety of livestock and the possibility of contaminated meat reaching local markets.

According to what Russia Today quoted from the local radio station “Okapi”, the first cases of the disease appeared about three months ago in the central part of the country, where infected cows began to show serious symptoms including extreme fatigue, impaired movement, and loss of appetite, before dying within days.

Concerns about cross-border transmission of the infection

Livestock breeders in the Central Congo region believe the spread of the disease may be linked to the transfer of animals from neighboring countries during late December, highlighting the weakness of veterinary control over the movement of livestock across African borders, especially in rural areas that rely heavily on livestock as a primary source of income and food.

Ticks are among the most dangerous biological vectors of diseases in the African continent, as they cause the transmission of many epidemics that affect cattle and livestock, leading to huge economic losses that threaten food security and affect the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.

Authorities are taking action to prevent the arrival of contaminated meat.

In an attempt to curb the worsening crisis, local authorities have begun taking urgent measures to prevent the spread of infected animal meat to markets, amid calls for stricter health controls and extensive veterinary examinations to determine the nature of the disease and its true causes.

The authorities also warned residents against buying meat of unknown origin, especially with increasing fears of the spread of infection or the occurrence of health complications as a result of consuming animal products that have not been inspected.

A new threat to food security in Africa

This outbreak comes at a time when several African countries are facing increasing challenges related to animal diseases, climate change and weak veterinary health infrastructure, making any new epidemic a direct threat to food security and economic stability in rural areas.

Observers believe that the current crisis in Congo may push African governments to strengthen regional cooperation in health surveillance and develop early warning systems to combat cross-border diseases before they turn into large-scale disasters.