The Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape has put in place an information campaign to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease detected on a farm near Humansdorp.
The municipality’s Head of Environmental Management Christa Venter says it is important that subsistence farmers in the area are informed about the disease.
Venter says they are concerned that the outbreak could negatively impact the economy.
“We have also set up a Joint Operations Committee that we will be meeting every day so we can say how to assist and to spread the word to everybody to see what is happening and this is what the effects will be. We are very concerned because of the dairy industry,” says Venter.
Local veterinarian Anthony Davis says the appearance of the disease in the area is a big surprise.
“The farm manager sent us photographs and we could not believe it as we have never seen foot and mouth before. It seemed impossible and our thoughts were this could not be happening. We took samples and sent them off to the ODI and the farm was quarantined immediately and the next day within 18 hours we had confirmation it was foot-and-mouth.
“What we did was to put out a warning to farmers that we suspect it to ensure their gates were locked and they apply good biosecurity,” adds Davis.
VIDEO | Foot-and-mouth disease | Preventative and quarantine measures in place in the Eastern Cape:
