The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) case investigated on a dairy farm near Mossel Bay tested positive for the virus, says Dr Chanel Lombard, a state veterinarian for the Western Cape.
By Alani Janeke, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
The Western Cape still had vaccine doses left over from the outbreak at Gouda in 2025 and also received 600 vaccine doses from the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) first shipment of 12 900 doses to vaccinate animals preventively in areas where possible and confirmed cases of FMD are occurring in the province. This was stated by Dr. Chanel Lombard, state veterinarian, on Wednesday morning during Monitor on RSG.
Lombard indicated they received confirmation late on Tuesday afternoon, 10 February, that the case investigated at a dairy farm near Mossel Bay tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease.
According to Lombard, the animals of the confirmed case at Mbekweni near Wellington and the suspected cases at Mfuleni (near Cape Town), Makhaza (near Khayelitsha) and Kalkfontein (near Kuils River) were vaccinated as a precaution. The animal population in these areas is small, so they had enough vaccine. The vaccines will also be enough to vaccinate the cattle at Mossel Bay, “but after that the vaccine is sparse”.
Western Cape sets aside R100 million for vaccines
On 8 February, Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape, and Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, announced that the province was setting aside R100 million of its budget for vaccines.
“We are acting swiftly with all stakeholders to get ahead of this outbreak. The Western Cape Government will set aside R100 million to procure enough vaccine doses to protect livestock,” stressed Premier Winde.
Since Wednesday 4 February, 24/7 border controls have been in place, with complete border closures and a permit system for cross-border trade being considered. In outbreak areas, animal movement is prohibited.
A 21-point plan is being urgently implemented. The plan includes:
- Movement control, including 24/7 border controls and a permit system.
- Monitoring, surveillance and traceability, through on-the-ground rapid response from veterinary services.
- Protocols such as communication, by-law enforcement, and contingency plans.
- Recovery involving cleaning operations and monitoring quarantine areas.
The provincial government is awaiting confirmation from national Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, to implement a border permit system and procure vaccines as a provincial government.
“The Western Cape Government is taking the necessary action to slow the spread of FMD and vaccinate herds. Our focus is on protecting a critical multi-billion Rand industry that employs 50 000 residents,” said Premier Winde.
Also read: FMD | Possible cases at Kuruman, Mossel Bay investigated
Guidelines and Reporting Requirements – What Farmers Need to Know
FMD is a controlled disease, and any suspicion of the disease must be reported immediately to the nearest state veterinarian. The disease is highly contagious and can spread through direct contact with infected animals, as well as via vehicles, equipment, clothing and feed. Farmers are therefore urged to purchase animals only from trusted sources, restrict access to their animals, and clean and disinfect any equipment, vehicles, footwear and clothing that may have had contact with other livestock – in line with good biosecurity practices.
FMD affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, and causes painful sores in the mouth and around the hooves. The disease does not affect humans.
Movement of livestock to and within the Western Cape must also be reported using the web application at: https://tinyurl.com/AnimalMovementApp. This enables Western Cape Veterinary Services to identify high-risk movements.
Information packs have been made available to animal and farm owners, auctions and livestock transporters to ensure awareness of responsibilities and applicable regulations. These are available at: https://www.elsenburg.com/western-cape/infopaks/
Also read:
FMD | First vaccine administered in Humansdorp this week
Lack of FMD-designated abattoirs for pigs ‘most important factor’
FMD | ‘Right, John… Let’s get to work’
FMD | ‘It’s here. We’re doing what we can to delay its spread’ – Mayor Pappas
