Onderstepoort

Media Statement JOINT STATEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY 14 November 2019 Progress: Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak – MOLEMOLE DISTRICT On 1 November 2019, veterinary services were alerted to clinical signs suspected to be Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in a herd of cattle on a farm in the Molemole Local Municipality of Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. This farm is located in the previous FMD free zone of South Africa. Samples were collected and FMD was confirmed by the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Transboundary Animal Disease Programme. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, pigs (domestic and wild), sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed animals. Signs of disease in animals may include depressed animals, sores in the mouth of animals causing reluctance to eat, and lameness. The disease does not affect humans and it is safe to consume products of cloven-hoofed animals, such as meat and milk. Monitoring Following the outbreak, the farm was quarantined. Currently monitoring of production facilities, feedlots and abattoirs is being conducted in Molemole District and adjacent areas. International trade The Molemole-outbreak is adjacent to the Vhembe-outbreak of January 2019 and thus close monitoring and vigilance in the Limpopo Province enabled rapid detection of the incident. All control measures for the Limpopo Province are still in place. A number of agreements were reached with trade partners to trade in safe commodities following the January outbreak; the department has sought assurances that these agreements still hold. […]