LILONGWE, Malawi

The South African government declared on Thursday that the country is experiencing new outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle in KwaZulu-Natal province, despite efforts to contain it.

John Steenhuisen, the minister for agriculture, land reform, and rural development, said in a statement that the province currently has 147 active FMD cases in livestock.

FMD is a highly contagious virus that affects cattle, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants, causing painful blisters in their mouths and under their hooves, resulting in lameness and feeding problems.

The minister stated that, despite ongoing efforts by his ministry, new infections have emerged outside designated Disease Management Areas (DMA) established in 2021, when the disease first emerged.

"The reports we continue to receive from KwaZulu-Natal regarding the persistent and, in some cases, expanding foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks are of great concern and call for urgent attention to halt the outbreaks," Steenhuisen said.

The minister stated that he has asked the department to urgently focus on the necessary action plans and steps to "ensure inroads are made to effectively curb the spread of the disease" and that a lack of adequate action is jeopardizing farmers' livelihoods, the country's agriculture, and the economy.

This, combined with the slow progress in strengthening our national biosecurity and acquiring critical vaccines, poses significant risks, which the government views with serious concern.

“I have therefore directed the department to identify and remove any single impediment to vaccine delivery in a timely manner," he said.

Steenhuisen said the ministry is attempting to halt the outbreaks by procuring and distributing vaccines to meet the demand for a "comprehensive rollout."

“We are also exploring mechanisms to declare a state of disaster within the province, because it is imperative for significant enhancement to national biosecurity.”

Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for South Africa's National Department of Health, told Anadolu by phone on Thursday that the new outbreaks are very concerning given the amount of effort that has been made to contain future outbreaks.

"However, we are collaborating with our counterparts in the Department of Agriculture to ensure that we stop the outbreaks through coordinated efforts.

“We continue to encourage people in KwaZulu-Natal to remain calm in the face of new outbreaks. As the government, we are working to contain the situation and provide the necessary relief," Mohale stated.