Palestinians have discovered 13 cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the West Bank, Palestinian minister of agriculture Hikmat Zeid told AFP Friday.
Zeid said three cases were found Thursday and that 10 more were discovered on Friday.
He said the affected animals were sheep, adding that the disease could be more widespread in the Palestinian territories, but that Palestinians have had difficulty studying the situation because of Israel's military closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"We cannot reach many areas to study because of the Israeli military closure, and this threatens the entire region. We sent letters to international organizations and to Israel," he added.
Foot-and-mouth disease had already spread to the Middle East, with cases reported in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
"If precautionary measures are not taken promptly, the disease will spread and threaten neighboring countries and will lead to an economic disaster," the Palestinian agriculture ministry said in a statement printed in the al-Hayat al-Jadida newspaper -- GAZA CITY (AFP)
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