Pretoria – New infections of the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed on two dairy farms in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape.
Suspicions of the disease outbreak surfaced several days ago.
On Wednesday, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development said it had conducted preliminary investigations, which indicate this outbreak to be a new infection.
“Further investigations to identify the source of this outbreak are ongoing. All possible leads are being followed,” the department said in a statement.
“Animals in neighbouring farms and communal areas have tested negative.
“This is good news as this makes the case to be only isolated to these two farms belonging to the same owner.”
The Eastern Cape Provincial Veterinary Services placed the affected farm under quarantine.
A full epidemiological investigation has begun to identify the possible origin and any other properties that could be at risk.
“Immediate neighbours and all linked locations are placed under precautionary quarantine, pending clinical and serological investigation to determine their FMD status,” the department.
“This outbreak again puts the spotlight on the importance of biosecurity on farms.
“Animals newly brought onto a farm must be kept separated from the resident herds for at least 28 days.”
The department advised farmers not to allow animals onto their farms without a health clearance from a veterinarian at the origin of the animals.
FMD is a controlled and notifiable disease in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No. 35 of 1984).
The department said any person who knows about the presence or suspicion of FMD must immediately report this to the nearest state veterinarian.
Should a disease be suspected, the department said livestock owners must also take all reasonable precautions to ensure that their animals do not become infected with any controlled disease and that they do not allow the spread of disease from their premises,
The foot and mouth disease is transmitted mainly by moving cloven-hoofed livestock from infected premises.
If there is a suspicion of illness, owners are advised not to move animals
“Should any suspicious clinical symptoms (salivation, blisters in the mouth, limping or hoof lesions) be seen, it should be reported to the local State Veterinarian immediately and such animals must not be moved under any circumstances,” the department said.
