Die voortslepende bek-en-klouseer-uitbrekings in die Oos-Kaap bly ‘n wesenlike bekommernis vir die Minister van Landbou, luidens ‘n persverklaring deur sy departement.
The ongoing foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in the Eastern Cape remains a significant concern for the Minister of Agriculture, according to a press release by his department.
In die Humansdorp-omgewing is daar nou bevestig dat die siekte op 33 plase uitgebreek het. Die beeste op hierdie plase is ingeënt om die viruslading te verminder en om die erns van kliniese simptome te verminder, veral by melkbeeste. Boonop is 37 plase voorkomend ingeënt om te voorkom dat die siekte versprei. Sedert die begin van die uitbreking is altesaam 93 064 beeste en 635 skape in die Oos-Kaap ingeënt.
Plase wat óf besmet óf ingeënt is, bly onder kwarantyn, terwyl die beweging van diere beperk word. Bewegings vanaf hierdie plase word slegs toegelaat indien ‘n staatsveearts goedkeuring gegee het dat direkte slagting mag plaasvind. Daar word ook van plaaseienaars verwag om streng biosekuriteitsmaatreëls toe te pas om te verhoed dat die siekte deur diere, voertuie, toerusting of mense versprei.
Die departement het op 26 Julie 2024 ‘n bek-en-klouseer siektebestuursgebied verklaar wat dele van die Kouga- en Kou-Kamma-munisipaliteite insluit. Bewegings van diere in, deur, binne of uit hierdie gebied word streng beheer en mag slegs met die toestemming van ‘n staatsveearts plaasvind. Plase moet geïnspekteer en getoets word, en vry van die siekte verklaar word voordat enige diere toegelaat sal word om te beweeg.
Ondanks hierdie maatreëls is daar aanduidings dat die virus in die geaffekteerde gebiede voortduur. Sommige plase wat voorheen besmet is, het ‘n opvlamming in uitbrekings ervaar, en nuwe infeksies is op vier plase geidentifiseer wat binne of naby die grense van die bek-en-klouseer siektebestuursgebied geleë is. Dit is kommerwekkend en toon dat bewegingsbeperkings en biosekuriteitsprotokolle nie ten volle nagekom word nie. Boonop het berigte van onwettige dierebewegings binne die bek-en-klouseer siektebestuursgebied opgeduik, wat kan lei tot voortgesette sirkulasie en verspreiding van die virus.
Die uitbreking, wat in Mei 2024 begin het, kan beperk word as alle belanghebbendes aan die beheermaatreëls voldoen. Ongelukkig is die voortdurende virussirkulasie en verspreiding die gevolg van nie-nakoming deur sommige belanghebbendes, wat die hele streek – en die land – in gevaar stel. Die departement werk saam met wetstoepassingsowerhede om hierdie gevalle te ondersoek, en diegene wat hulle skuldig maak aan die oortreding van die kwarantyn- en bek-en-klouseer siektebestuursgebied-beperkings sal vervolg word. Die publiek word aangemoedig om enige inligting rakende onwettige bewegings of oortredings van biosekuriteit by die owerhede aan te meld.
In Oos-Londen is die uitbreking suksesvol bekamp, en die departement het die geaffekteerde boere in hierdie gebied bedank vir hul waaksaamheid en samewerking. Diere op hierdie plase sal beheerde slagting by aangewese abattoirs ondergaan. Beheerde slagting verseker dat bek-en-klouseer-risikomateriaal behoorlik verwerk of weggedoen word, en slegs veilige produkte word in die plaaslike mark vrygestel. Terwyl vleis van plase wat besmet is met bek-en-klouseer nie uitgevoer kan word nie weens sertifiseringsbeperkings, bly dit veilig vir menslike gebruik.
Die Direkteur van Dieregesondheid het drie abattoirs aangewys om die slagting van gesplete hoefdiere van plase wat bek-en-klouseer het, in kwarantyn te hanteer. Sewe plase het toestemming vir beheerde slagting by dié slagplase gekry. Tot op hede is 430 beeste van plase wat in kwarantyn geplaas is in die Oos-Kaap, geslag.
In the Humansdorp area, 33 farms have now been confirmed to have cases of the disease. Cattle on these farms have been vaccinated to reduce the viral load and lessen the severity of clinical symptoms, particularly in dairy cattle. Additionally, 37 farms have been pre-emptively vaccinated to prevent the disease from spreading. Since the start of the outbreak, a total of 93 064 cattle and 635 sheep have been vaccinated in the Eastern Cape.
Farms that are either infected or vaccinated remain under quarantine, with animal movements restricted. Movements from these farms are only permitted with state veterinary approval for direct slaughter. Farm owners are also required to enforce strict biosecurity measures to prevent the disease from spreading via animals, vehicles, equipment, or people.
On 26 July 2024, the Department declared a foot and mouth disease (FMD) disease management area (DMA), covering parts of the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Municipalities. Movements of animals into, through, within, or out of this area are strictly controlled and may only occur with state veterinary permission. Farms must be inspected and tested, and declared free of the disease before any animals are allowed to move.
Despite these measures, there are indications that the virus persists in the affected areas. Some farms previously infected have experienced flare-ups, and new infections have been identified on four farms located on or near the borders of the DMA. This raises concerns and demonstrates that movement restrictions and biosecurity protocols are not being fully adhered to. Additionally, reports of illegal animal movements within the DMA have surfaced, which could lead to continued circulation and spread of the virus.
The outbreak, which began in May 2024, can be contained if all stakeholders adhere to the control measures. Unfortunately, the ongoing virus circulation and spread is a result of non-compliance by some stakeholders, which puts the entire region – and the country – at risk. The Department is working with law enforcement to investigate these reports, and those found contravening the quarantine and DMA restrictions will face legal consequences. The public is encouraged to report any information regarding illegal movements or breaches of biosecurity.
In East London, the outbreak has been successfully contained, and the Department thanked the affected farmers in this area for their vigilance and cooperation. Animals on these farms will undergo controlled slaughter at designated abattoirs. Controlled slaughter ensures that FMD risk materials are properly processed or disposed of, and only safe products are released into the local market. While meat from FMD-restricted farms cannot be exported due to certification constraints, it remains safe for human consumption.
The Director of Animal Health has designated three abattoirs to handle the slaughter of cloven-hoofed animals from FMD-quarantined farms. Seven farms have been granted permission for controlled slaughter at these abattoirs. To date, 430 cattle from FMD-quarantined farms in the Eastern Cape have been slaughtered.