’80 butchers died of Congo virus in 9 provinces’

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): As many as 80 butchers have died after infecting Congo virus in the northern part of the country in the past year while 45,000 animals lost due to this virus nationwide, an official said on Friday.

Agriculture Minister Mawlavi Attaullah Umari said this while addressing the opening event of a slaughter house in Balkh province. He said 80 butchers died in nine Northern Province due to Congo virus.

He linked the death of butchers from Congo virus with unprofessional slaughtering of the animals, adding that most butchers did not considered important guidelines while slaughtering animals.

Umari said animals are first quarantined and checked in slaughter houses and then slaughtered in a professional manner.

This comes that a new slaughter house was inaugurated in Mazar-i-Sharif. The facility is built at the cost of six million afs.

nh