Ugandan farmers alarmed as mysterious illness wipes out goats and sheep

UGANDA – A mysterious livestock disease has struck parts of Uganda’s Kagadi District, killing numerous goats and sheep and sparking concern among farmers and veterinary authorities. 

The outbreak, suspected to be either Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) or Orf virus, has been reported in Kisungu and Kataremwa parishes in Nyakarongo Sub-County.

Affected farmers say their animals are dying despite efforts to seek veterinary assistance from nearby sub-counties. 

The infected goats and sheep display alarming symptoms, including sudden depression, fever, nasal and eye discharges, mouth sores, laboured breathing, persistent coughing, foul-smelling diarrhoea, and sudden death.

“We have tried vaccinating them, but the deaths continue,” said one resident, appealing to authorities to intervene urgently to save the remaining livestock.

Kagadi District Veterinary Officer Reuben Kiggundu Kawagga confirmed that the district had not yet received an official notification of the outbreak but pledged action. “We will launch an investigation and take appropriate measures,” he said.

PPR, also known as goat plague, is a highly contagious viral disease that affects goats and sheep, with goats often experiencing more severe symptoms. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), mortality rates in goats can range between 30–70%. 

The disease, caused by a morbillivirus, spreads rapidly and can cause devastating economic losses due to livestock deaths and reduced productivity. 

While it does not affect humans, PPR remains a major transboundary animal disease, prompting the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and FAO to lead a global campaign to eradicate it by 2030.

Risk of Orf virus

Authorities are also investigating the possibility of Orf virus, a contagious ecthyma that affects sheep and goats and can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated materials. 

In livestock, it causes painful lesions around the mouth, nostrils, and sometimes other areas like the udder. 

In humans, it presents as red, raised lesions on the hands or fingers, which, though typically self-limiting, can be painful and require medical attention.

Farmers in Nyakarongo fear further losses if the outbreak is not quickly contained, noting that goats and sheep are key sources of income and nutrition for households in the area.

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