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A fresh outbreak near Kroonstad has reignited concern over the country’s containment strategy.
Picture: Supplied
As the department of agriculture confirmed a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) on a farm in the Moqhaka local municipality near Kroonstad in the Free State, an expert has warned of the fragility of SA’s agriculture disease containment strategy.
Earlier this month, the agricultural sector rejoiced after Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen lifted FMD management area restrictions in Eastern Cape and Limpopo after intensified efforts by veterinary services were successful in containing the spread of FMD.
New outbreak dampens recent FMD progress
However, the joy was short-lived when another outbreak was detected two weeks later.
Steenhuisen did say that when he lifted the lockdown, farms in the Eastern Cape would remain under quarantine and that movement restrictions would remain in place on these farms until testing confirmed the absence of viral circulation.
The disease management areas in KwaZulu-Natal remained in place. The department also said a total of 270 FMD outbreaks have been reported across five provinces this month.
KwaZulu-Natal worst hit as outbreak numbers surge
Some 249 outbreaks remain active, while only 21 have been resolved. According to the department, KwaZulu-Natal remained the most severely affected with 191 outbreaks reported, while 172 were still unresolved.
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In Gauteng, 32 outbreaks have been reported since May, while North West has four open cases and Mpumalanga has recorded three.
The department has urged farmers and stakeholders to remain vigilant and comply with all biosecurity protocols.
It said immediate control measures were implemented, including quarantine, intensified surveillance and emergency vaccination of livestock after an outbreak was confirmed last week following the quarantine of the affected property two days earlier.
Call for containment lines to hold
TLU SA chair Bennie van Zyl said the situation was bad.
“All the role players need to know that the biosecurity measures must now be optimally applied and ensure the containment lines are not broken and animals do not get further exposure,” he said.
Southern Africa Agricultural Initiative CEO Francois Rossouw said the new outbreak in the Free State underscores the fragility of South Africa’s containment strategy.
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