The Western Cape has received a supply of 100 000 Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine doses, which landed at Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday evening (10 March), strengthening the province’s ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak.
These will be distributed across the West Coast, Cape Winelands and Garden Route districts, coordinated by a provincial “war room”, which meets regularly.
In the Garden Route, six farms have tested positive for FMD, with six more currently under suspicion pending confirmation. So far, 91 farms have been vaccinated, covering 14 288 cattle, while 133 farms have been inspected as part of ongoing containment efforts.
The ongoing vaccination drive will be steadily scaled up to fully immunise the provincial herd. Further notable developments include:
- 48 612 animals have so far been vaccinated across the province.
- 276 vaccination sites have been set up.
- 29 private veterinarians are assisting State Veterinarians.
- The Western Cape has now received a total of 162 120 doses of vaccines.
- Warning road signs have been erected along all major highways which link the Western Cape to neighbouring provinces.
- Checkpoints have been set up along several major roads.
Since the first cases of FMD were confirmed in the Western Cape, the provincial government has pulled out all the stops to bring the outbreak under control.
This coordinated effort is made possible by support from key stakeholders, including the Milk Producers Organisation, Red Meat Producers, Milk SA, Agri Western Cape and Shoprite.
“All of this progress is made possible through collaboration,” said premier Winde. He commended all agricultural role players for their ongoing assistance in managing the outbreak.
All affected districts are reporting encouraging progress in driving the 21-point FMD response plan being led by the Western Cape Government and numerous role players.
The plan includes:
- Movement control, including 24/7 border monitoring.
- Monitoring, surveillance, and traceability, through on-the-ground rapid response from provincial veterinary services.
- Protocols such as communication, by-law enforcement, and contingency plans.
- Recovery involving cleaning operations and monitoring quarantine areas.
“We will continue to intensify the response plan to protect this critical sector of our economy.
I personally chair a weekly joint operation meeting with all stakeholders, including municipalities, to ensure that everything is being done to manage this crisis. In everything we do, we aim to protect growth, livelihoods and jobs,” said the premier.
“The arrival of the 100 000 additional vaccine doses in the Western Cape marks a significant turning point. It means we can now accelerate vaccinations across the province, ensuring that we protect our livestock, support our farmers, and strengthen this vital sector of our economy,” said Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, who received the new vaccine doses on Tuesday.
The premier is in regular contact with national Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, to follow up and ensure that a livestock movement permitting system is put in place to further bolster the Western Cape containment plan.