AGRICULTURAL NEWS - The fight against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Garden Route is showing steady progress, with vaccination efforts intensifying and no new confirmed infected farms reported in the Mossel Bay municipal area.
According to the latest update from the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), the number of officially confirmed FMD-affected farms remains at seven - no increase since the previous report. Suspected sites awaiting test results have decreased to two, while 16 farms have tested negative.
The vaccination efforts have accelerated significantly, with 161 farms now vaccinated - an increase of 50. A total of 39 404 vaccine doses have been administered to date, marking a sharp rise of 21 174 doses. Livestock infections remain limited to cattle.
The GRDM’s head of disaster management, Gerhard Otto, said just over 34% of cattle in the region have been vaccinated so far. Booster vaccines are currently being rolled out in the Mossel Bay area as part of a second round targeting previously vaccinated cattle.
In a further boost to containment efforts, the Western Cape Government’s state veterinarian, Dr Leana Janse van Rensburg, drove to the provincial veterinary laboratory in Stellenbosch today, 24 March, to collect an additional 4 000 doses of FMD vaccines.
An abattoir in the Garden Route has applied for a licence to slaughter FMD-infected livestock. Approval will only be granted once strict regulatory requirements, as outlined in the Animal Diseases Act (Act No. 35 of 1984) and the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, have been met to prevent further spread of the virus.
Movement control remains a key part of the containment strategy. There are currently seven static and four roaming vehicle control points operating around the quarantined area.
The authorities have also reiterated that applications to close the Western Cape’s provincial roads must be submitted to the GRDM Disaster Management Centre. While residents will still have access to affected roads, they will be closed to general motorists and cyclists.
Applications are evaluated in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including provincial roads engineers, the South African Police Service and local municipal law enforcement.
Officials emphasised that vaccination remains critical, noting that vaccinated animals that are exposed to FMD typically experience milder symptoms and recover more quickly.
The province continues to roll out vaccinations in phases, starting with infected herds and those within a 3km radius, before expanding to commonage livestock, high-risk herds, dairy cattle and finally beef herds.
Residents and farmers are urged to report any suspected cases to the Garden Route Emergency Call Centre on 044 805 5071 or on a WhatsApp to 081 709 5193.
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