To combat the escalating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, Gauteng’s MEC for Agriculture, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, announced the large-scale rollout of newly secured vaccines during a media briefing on the province’s foot-and-mouth rapid response plan. The alarming rise in confirmed cases, now standing at 228—an increase of 55 since January—has prompted the province to ramp up its efforts to safeguard the agricultural sector.
With over 260,000 animals reported to have been affected by the outbreak across the province, Ramokgopa emphasised that the recent surge in confirmed cases can be attributed to intensified surveillance and active case finding rather than an uncontrolled spread of the disease. “Since January, we have systematically operationalised our four-pillar rapid response plan, which, as you will recall, involved the four key areas—contain, enforce, vaccinate and communicate,” she stated.
Ramokgopa further revealed that containment measures had been the first line of defence due to the absence of additional vaccines at the start of the outbreak. The implementation of a provincial animal movement control framework aims to regulate the movement of animals into and out of Gauteng, enhancing the province’s ability to manage the situation effectively.
Meanwhile, as Gauteng intensifies its vaccination campaign, neighbouring KwaZulu-Natal is following suit. The province’s MEC of Agriculture, Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa, announced that vaccination efforts will soon commence for cattle along the south coast. Within the next week, 20 teams of technicians will fan out to begin vaccinating cattle in the Ugu District before shifting their focus to the Harry Gwala District, showcasing a coordinated effort to curb the disease’s spread.