Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreaks Persist in South Africa’s Livestock Huns

The South African government is battling ongoing outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, with strict containment measures in place to prevent the highly contagious disease from spreading further.

Eastern Cape: Progress Amid Precautions

The Eastern Cape outbreak has shown signs of stability, with no new cases reported in the past three months. Despite this, the Disease Management Area (DMA), declared in July 2024, remains under strict lockdown.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has said that movement restrictions will continue through the festive season and will only be lifted once thorough surveillance confirms the absence of infection.

Seventy-three farms in the province remain under quarantine and are expected to stay so for at least another year. Farmers have been urged to maintain stringent biosecurity protocols to avoid a resurgence of the disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats.

KwaZulu-Natal: New Flare-Ups Recorded

In KwaZulu-Natal, the outbreak has expanded to the uPongola Local Municipality, prompting authorities to impose movement restrictions on several dip tanks. A separate flare-up in Mtubatuba is being contained through vaccinations and movement controls.

The Department of Agriculture is reviewing the DMA boundaries in KwaZulu-Natal to include newly identified high-risk areas. Public awareness campaigns have been launched to encourage livestock owners to limit the movement of animals and report any signs of the disease promptly.

A Nationwide Fight

Nationally, strict measures remain in place to control the spread of FMD. The movement of cloven-hoofed livestock requires a health declaration from the owner, and all newly introduced animals must be isolated for 28 days as a precaution.

Authorities have highlighted the risks associated with the incubation period of FMD, during which infected animals may appear healthy but still shed the virus. Farmers have been advised to limit animal movement and adopt stringent biosecurity measures, including:

Ensuring new animals come from verified clean farms.

Preventing direct contact between resident and external animals.

Restricting access to farms for people and vehicles.


Legal Responsibility and Reporting

Under the Animal Diseases Act (1984), livestock owners are legally obligated to take reasonable steps to prevent the spread of disease. Any animals displaying symptoms such as excessive salivation, limping, or hoof blisters must be reported immediately to State Veterinarians.

A Long Road to Recovery

While South Africa has successfully resolved FMD outbreaks in other regions, the persistence of the disease in these two provinces highlights the ongoing challenges facing the agricultural sector.

The Department has assured farmers and the public that containment efforts will continue, with movement controls, surveillance, and vaccination forming the backbone of their strategy.

For further updates and guidance, farmers are urged to contact their local State Veterinary offices.