Foot and Mouth outbreak prompts warning

The Ministry of Agriculture has urged livestock farmers across the country to limit movement of animals, given the ongoing presence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) viruses in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

The department recently received test results confirming the ongoing presence of FMD viruses in KZN.

Cattle at a dip tank in Mtubatuba, north of Durban, have tested positive for FMD. These cattle showed clinical signs of FMD in December. This led to prompting sample collection, and laboratory results confirmed the introduction of a South African Territories (SAT1) FMD virus into the area, the Ministry said in a statement.

“Given that a SAT2 FMD event has been ongoing in the region since 2021, further investigations were conducted, confirming that the detected SAT1 virus is similar to one recently identified in the northern part of the Kruger National Park. Over the past two weeks, clinical signs of FMD have also been observed in districts around Vryheid and Newcastle Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of the FMD virus, with virus typing still in progress to determine whether these outbreaks were caused by a SAT1 or SAT2 strain,” the Ministry said.

Control measures within the Disease Management Area (DMA) remain unchanged. The Ministry said the affected dip tanks remain under quarantine, and vaccination efforts in the area continue. The vaccine being used covers all three FMD SAT strains. Dip tanks in newly affected areas have also been placed under quarantine.

“These outbreaks highlight the persistent threat of FMD and the critical need for stringent control measures to prevent its spread. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen stressed the importance of strict compliance with biosecurity protocols and urged farmers and livestock owners to promptly report any suspected cases to veterinary authorities,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry reminded livestock owners that control measures implemented nationwide since October 2022 must be strictly followed to reduce the risk of further spread.

These measures include:

•   Cloven-hoofed livestock across South Africa may only be moved if accompanied by a health declaration from the owner, confirming the animals’ health at the time of movement. 
•   Any newly introduced cattle, sheep, or goats must be kept separate from resident herds for at least 28 days. 

“All livestock farmers across the country are strongly encouraged to limit animal movement as much as possible. Auctioneers and livestock owners should be particularly cautious when purchasing cloven-hoofed animals from provinces with active FMD outbreaks. No cloven-hoofed animals should be accepted from areas under FMD restrictions in KZN, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga provinces,” said the Ministry.

The Ministry added that Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act imposes a legal duty on all animal owners or managers to take reasonable steps to prevent their animals from becoming infected and to prevent the spread of any disease from their animals or property to others.