Malawi has placed restrictions on the movement of meat from an area affected by the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease.

More than 350 head of cattle in an area of southern Malawi have been diagnosed with the disease, according to Grey Matita, field service director in the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Animal Health. He added that 150 of the animals had developed symptoms of the disease in the last week, showing the “alarming rate” of the spread of the disease.

Matita said Malawi had notified neighbouring countries and the International Animal Health Organisation, and temporarily banned all shipments of meat from the area, reported Reuters.