The number of foot-and-mouth disease cases in the ||Kharas region has increased to 129, with 17 farms now confirmed to be affected.
This is according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform’s latest update issued on Friday.
“As of 6 October, a total of 129 animal samples have tested positive and 17 farms have been confirmed to be infected to date, says ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda says.
The outbreak was confirmed in the Karasburg State Veterinary District last month.
Muyunda says the Directorate of Veterinary Services has deployed 20 teams to inspect farms within a 50km radius of the farm where the disease was first detected.
He says so far, 72 of the 81 targeted farms have been inspected, representing nearly 89% of the planned inspections.
Muyunda says veterinary officials are also tracing livestock movements to determine how the disease may have spread and prevent further infections.
Meanwhile, 16 veterinary checkpoints have been operating since 25 September to prevent the unauthorised movement of livestock and meat products.
At seven of these checkpoints, Muyunda says officials have searched 2 292 vehicles.
He says meat and meat products found in violation of the restrictions have been confiscated and destroyed.
Muyunda says veterinary teams are also educating farmers about the signs of FMD, how the disease spreads and measures to protect their animals.
“The ministry is monitoring the situation and is implementing control measures to contain the disease and prevent further spread beyond the ||Kharas region,” he says.
The ministry has urged farmers and members of the public to report suspicious movements of meat and meat products in areas where restrictions are in place.
