Foot and mouth disease outbreak spreads to the Free State

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) at a commercial farm located in Moqhaka Local Municipality, part of the Kroonstad State Veterinary area in the Free State.

The situation arises as the region battles against a series of ongoing outbreaks across the country.

On 10 July, authorities confirmed the outbreak, which led to the immediate placement of the affected farm under quarantine.

The department on Monday said stringent control measures have been implemented, including enhanced surveillance and vaccination exercises to curb any potential spread of the disease, in response to the crisis.

It said trace-back activities were currently underway to identify the source of the infection, with additional precautions taken to monitor farms within a 10-kilometre radius.

This proactive approach aims not only to safeguard the affected commercial farm but also to protect the surrounding agricultural ecosystem from a more extensive outbreak.

The outbreak in the Free State is part of a larger crisis affecting South Africa, where a staggering 270 FMD outbreaks have been reported across five provinces as of July.

Alarmingly, 249 of these outbreaks remain unresolved while 21 have undergone resolution, a situation that has raised significant concern among farmers and agricultural stakeholders nationwide.

Despite no new cases reported in the Eastern Cape since September 2024, the persistence of the disease in KwaZulu-Natal underscores the urgent need for comprehensive intervention strategies to fortify livestock health across the nation.

The department said Eastern Cape has recorded 40 outbreaks, with 38 still open and two resolved.

KwaZulu-Natal has been the most affected province, with 191 reported outbreaks, of which 172 remain active and 19 have been resolved.

Since May, Gauteng has reported 32 outbreaks, North West has four open outbreaks, while Mpumalanga has reported three outbreaks.

The Department of Agriculture continues to monitor the situation closely and asserts that collaborative efforts will be crucial in controlling FMD spread, thus safeguarding both agricultural livelihood and food security.

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