South Africa: 2025 Foot and Mouth Disease

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/sout...ovince/3541380

South Africa faces fresh outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in KwaZulu-Natal province
'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,' says minister
Jamal Jamal | 17.04.2025 - Update : 17.04.2025

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...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.citizen.co.za/krugersdor...ted-in-mogale/

Foot and Mouth Disease case reported in Mogale
There is a Foot and Mouth disease incident in the area following an auction recently.
15 hours ago
Heinrich Greyling 1 minute read

Gauteng Veterinary Services has confirmed a case of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Mogale City.

In a statement issued recently by the acting chief director for the Gauteng veterinary services, Dr Winton Rabolao, he said the outbreak was linked to an animal bought at a livestock auction in Gauteng, which came from another province...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.citizen.co.za/network-ne...malanga-farms/

Foot and mouth disease spreads to Gauteng and Mpumalanga farms
China has suspended South African imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products, including beef, due to foot and mouth disease.
12 hours ago

The Department of Agriculture has urged farmers to limit or eliminate the movement of animals in the country following the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) to Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

The disease was first reported in KZN.

“Two new cases, outside of KZN, have been confirmed. One [is a] farm in Mpumalanga, which was identified as part of trace-forward exercises, from a positive auction in Utrecht, KZN. Although these animals showed no clinical signs of disease, further investigation has confirmed that the virus has spread to adjacent camps on the same farm. There are no indications that other farms have become infected, but veterinary services are continuing with clinical inspection and testing of livestock on farms in the area.

“Another farm was reported in Gauteng. Clinical signs suspicious of FMD were noted in a feedlot that received animals from an auction in Heidelberg. Samples were collected and prioritised for testing. Laboratory results for these samples are positive and confirm that this is the same virus that is circulating in parts of KZN,” the department said.

An epidemiological investigation is underway to ‘trace back and trace forward all other animals that were bought and sold at the same auction’...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other...ag/ar-AA1G1CLx

Gauteng foot-and-mouth outbreak at world’s largest feedlot is a red meat flag
Story by Ed Stoddard
• 1d

Karan Beef said this week that a case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) had been confirmed at its gigantic feedlot facility at Heidelberg in southeastern Gauteng, the latest outbreak of the highly contagious viral infection to hit South Africa’s cattle and beef industry.

At 2,330 hectares, Karan Beef’s Heidelberg feedlot is the largest in the world. They say everything is bigger in Texas, but this facility outstrips the massive feedlots that are a defining feature of the grassy landscape along Interstate Highway 40 of the Texas Panhandle, the heart of the global beef industry.

Outbreaks elsewhere have already curbed South African beef exports, but concerns raised on social media about local price increases are misplaced, as domestic supplies are expected to increase as a result.

It’s still very concerning because Karan Beef is widely regarded as South Africa’s top beef brand, supplying most of the country’s recognised retailers and premier butchers and restaurants.

That reputation has been built in part on its strict biosecurity measures. In 2007, Karan Beef was South Africa’s first beef producer to achieve the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food standards accreditation...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://centralnews.co.za/new-foot%E...in-free-state/

New Foot‑and‑Mouth Disease Outbreak Confirmed at Moqhaka Farm in Free State
July 14, 2025
By Thobeka Makume


A new Foot‑and‑Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak was confirmed on 10 July at a commercial farm in the Moqhaka Local Municipality, within the Kroonstad State Veterinary area, prompting immediate quarantine and robust control measures to prevent further spread. 

The Department of Agriculture announced that the affected farm had been placed under quarantine on 8 July 2025. Agricultural authorities swiftly implemented enhanced surveillance and vaccination initiatives around the farm and within a 10‑kilometre radius to curb the outbreak. Trace‑back efforts are actively underway to pinpoint the source of infection. 

As of July 2025, South Africa has experienced 270 confirmed FMD outbreaks across five provinces. Alarmingly, 249 of these remain active, while only 21 have been resolved. KwaZulu‑Natal remains the hardest hit, reporting 191 outbreaks (172 active, 19 resolved). Eastern Cape has had 40 outbreaks (38 active, 2 resolved) with no new cases since September 2024. Gauteng has registered 32 outbreaks since May, North West has 4, and Mpumalanga has 3...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.africanfarming.com/2025/...n-5-provinces/


FMD fight continues – still more than 200 outbreaks in 5 provinces
16 October 2025
Deur Nico van Burick, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad

Red Meat Industry Services’ (RMIS) latest update on foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the country notes that the continued spread of FMD has largely been driven by the uncontrolled and often illegal movement of livestock.

Active outbreaks have been reported in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, North West, the Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga – the RMIS platform provides an up-to-date overview of affected areas. The organisation says that by staying informed about active outbreaks, livestock owners can make better management decisions and reduce the risk of exposure to the virus.

Identification systems such as the RMIS Traceability Platform are developing rapidly and play a crucial role in managing the movement of animals. Livestock owners are strongly encouraged to register. Some feedlot operators have already decided to buy cattle only from suppliers registered on the RMIS platform and with a valid geolocation number (GLN)...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://witness.co.za/news/2025/11/0...disease-surge/

KZN grapples with foot-and-mouth disease surge
Despite strict measures to prevent livestock from being moved outside the province’s Disease Management Area (DMA) without permits, outbreaks continue to rise.
6 hours ago

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, says the province’s escalating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak is being fuelled by the illegal movement of cloven-hoofed animals.

Despite strict measures to prevent livestock from being moved outside the province’s Disease Management Area (DMA) without permits, outbreaks continue to rise, posing a serious threat to the province’s livestock industry and rural livelihoods.

KwaZulu-Natal is currently the worst-affected province, with 180 unresolved FMD outbreaks as of October 2025. KaMadlopha-Mthethwa said efforts are underway to improve vaccination coverage, but vaccine shortages remain a significant challenge for farmers and authorities alike...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri...er-quarantine/


Suspected case of FMD in Western Cape, farm under quarantine
By Jyothi Laldas |
5 November 2025 | 6:34 pm
Veterinary authorities have placed a farm in Gouda, Western Cape, under quarantine amid an investigation into a suspected foot-and-mouth disease case, believed to be linked to the recent movement of cattle from the province to the Free State.

Until now, the Western Cape was one of only two provinces that had not been affected by the recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the other being the Northern Cape.

Farm quarantined in Gouda

According to a statement from the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, placing the farm under quarantine was a precautionary measure after a farmer in the Free State notified officials on 1 November of suspected FMD lesions on cattle recently transported to his farm from Gouda.

During an inspection by Western Cape Veterinary Services, veterinarians observed the lesions on several cattle. Samples were collected and sent for laboratory testing to confirm or rule out the presence of FMD, the statement read.

“Two additional farms in Velddrif and Bredasdorp [in the Western Cape], where cattle from the same source had been moved on 30 October, have also been placed under quarantine. These farms will undergo further inspection and testing,” the department added...