DIE JONGSTE BEK-EN-KLOUSEER-SITUASIE IN DIE OOS-KAAP / THE LATEST FMD SITUATION IN THE EASTERN CAPE
DIE JONGSTE BEK-EN-KLOUSEER-SITUASIE IN DIE OOS-KAAP
Die Departement van Landbou het op 26 Julie 2024 ‘n bek-en-klouseer siektebestuursgebied verklaar om dele van die Kouga- en Kou-Kamma-munisipaliteite in die Oos-Kaap in te sluit.
Tans is 33 plase in die Humansdorp-omgewing en een plaas in die Oos-Londen-omgewing bevestig as positief vir bek-en-klouseer, en inenting het daar plaasgevind. Die Minister van Landbou het sy ernstige kommer uitgespreek oor die herhalende kliniese tekens op sekere plase binne die siektebestuursgebied wat voorheen besmet of ingeënt is. Dit dui op ‘n voortdurende virussirkulasie op hierdie plase en beklemtoon die hoë risiko van uitwaartse verspreiding. Streng biosekuriteitsmaatreëls is noodsaaklik. Kliniese tekens van bek-en-klouseer is ook op twee plase naby die grense van die siektebestuursgebied gevind. Dit dien as ‘n sterk waarskuwing aan die boerderygemeenskappe in die gebied om biosekuriteitsprotokolle streng toe te pas op hul plase en om te voldoen aan die bewegingsbeperkings wat binne die siektebestuursgebied opgelê is.
Inentingstrategie en vordering
‘n Bykomende 36 plase is vooraf ingeënt om die erns van kliniese tekens in die geval van infeksie te versag. Sedert die uitbreking in Mei 2024 is altesaam 96 906 beeste en 635 skape in die Oos-Kaap ingeënt. Meer as 12 000 diere het ook ‘n tweede inenting ontvang na aanleiding van berigte dat die virus op sekere eiendomme weer opgevlam het.
Aangewese abattoirs
Om boere te help om die aantal diere op besmette en/of ingeënte plase te verminder, het die Direkteur van Dieregesondheid twee abattoirs aangewys waar gesplete hoefdiere vanaf plase onder bek-en-klouseer-kwarantyn geslag mag word. Vier plase het toestemming vir beheerde slagtings by dié slagplase gekry. Tot dusver is 56 beeste in die Humansdorp-omgewing geslag en 40 in die Oos-Londen-omgewing. Beheerde slagtings verseker dat bek-en-klouseer-risikomateriaal behoorlik verwerk of vernietig word, met slegs veilige produkte wat in die plaaslike mark vrygestel word. Vleis van plase onder bek-en-klouseer-beperkings kom weens sertifiseringsbeperkings nie in aanmerking vir uitvoere nie, maar dit bly veilig vir menslike gebruik.
Nasionale bewegingsbeperkings, wetlike verantwoordelikhede, verslagdoeningsvereistes en biosekuriteit
Benewens die beheermaatreëls binne die siektebestuursgebied in die Oos-Kaap, bepaal die Julie 2024 Staatskoerantkennisgewing dat vee met gesplete hoewe slegs binne Suid-Afrika verskuif mag word indien dit vergesel word van ‘n gesondheidsverklaring van die eienaar, wat getuig van die diere se gesondheid toe dit verskuif is. Alhoewel dit sedert Oktober 2022 ‘n wetlike vereiste is, word die belangrikheid daarvan weer beklemtoon om die verdere verspreiding van bek-en-klouseer te voorkom.
Die Departement van Landbou raai alle veeboere in die land sterk aan om dierebeweging sover as moontlik te beperk. Gesplete hoefdiere moenie verskuif word nie, tensy dit absoluut noodsaaklik is. Beperking van beweging bied ‘n geleentheid om verdere onopgemerkte, aangetaste eiendomme te identifiseer en in kwarantyn te plaas en sodoende enige verdere verspreiding van die siekte te voorkom. Die belangrikheid van die inkubasietydperk vir bek-en-klouseer kan nie oorskat word nie. Gedurende hierdie tydperk kan diere gesond lyk terwyl hulle die virus afskei en nog nie kliniese tekens van die siekte toon nie.
Boere word opnuut versoek om streng biosekuriteitsmaatreëls op hul plase na te kom om hul kuddes teen infeksie te beskerm. Artikel 11 van die Wet op Dieresiektes lê ’n wetlike plig op diere-eienaars of -bestuurders op om alle redelike stappe te neem om te verhoed dat hul diere besmet raak en om die verspreiding van enige siekte van hul diere of plase na ander te voorkom.
Noodsaaklike biosekuriteitsmaatreëls sluit in:
- Enige beeste, skape of bokke wat nuut op ‘n plaas ingebring word, moet vir minstens 28 dae apart van die oorspronklike kuddes gehou word.
- Vervoer slegs diere indien hulle vergesel is van ‘n gesondheidsverklaring van bekende skoon plase.
- Voorkom neus-tot-neus kontak tussen plaasdiere en diere buite die plaas.
- Handhaaf veilige plaasgrense en beperk toegang vir mense en voertuie sover as moontlik.
- Verseker dat plaaspersoneel geen kontak met diere buite die eiendom het nie.
- Voorsien skoon klere en wasgeriewe vir alle besoekers en personeel, en verseker deeglike skoonmaak en ontsmetting van enige voertuie en boerdery-implemente wat op ‘n eiendom gebring word.
- Raadpleeg gereeld met die verantwoordelike privaat- en staatsveearts en dieregesondheidstegnikus om biosekuriteitsmaatreëls te verfyn.
THE LATEST FMD SITUATION IN THE EASTERN CAPE
On 26 July 2024, the Department of Agriculture declared a foot and mouth disease (FMD) disease management area (DMA) to include parts of the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
Currently, 33 farms in the Humansdorp area and one farm in the East London area have been confirmed as positive for FMD and have undergone vaccination. The Minister of Agriculture has expressed serious concern over the recurring clinical signs on certain farms within the DMA that were previously infected or vaccinated. This points to ongoing virus circulation on these farms and highlights the high risk of outward spread. Strict biosecurity measures are essential. Clinical signs of FMD have also been detected on two farms near the borders of the DMA. This serves as a strong warning to the farming communities in the area to rigorously enforce biosecurity protocols on their farms and adhere to the movement restrictions imposed within the DMA.
Vaccination strategy and progress
An additional 36 farms have been pre-emptively vaccinated to mitigate the severity of clinical signs in case of infection. Since the outbreak’s onset in May 2024, a total of 96, 06 cattle and 635 sheep have been vaccinated in the Eastern Cape. Over 12 000 animals have also received a second vaccination following reports of virus flare-ups on certain properties.
Designated abattoirs
To assist farmers in reducing the number of animals on infected and/or vaccinated farms, the Director of Animal Health has designated two abattoirs for the slaughter of cloven-hoofed animals from farms under FMD quarantine. Four farms have been granted permission for controlled slaughter at these abattoirs. So far, 56 cattle have been slaughtered in the Humansdorp area and 40 in the East London area. Controlled slaughter ensures that FMD risk materials are properly processed or disposed of, with only safe products released into the local market. Meat from farms under FMD restrictions is not eligible for export due to certification limitations, but it remains safe for human consumption.
National movement restrictions, legal responsibilities, reporting requirements and biosecurity
Protocols In addition to the control measures within the DMA in the Eastern Cape, the July 2024 Gazette Notice stipulates that cloven-hoofed livestock across South Africa may only be moved if accompanied by a health declaration from the owner, attesting to the animals’ health at the time of movement. While this has been a legal requirement since October 2022, its importance is being reiterated to prevent the further spread of FMD.
The Department of Agriculture strongly advises all livestock farmers nationwide to limit animal movement as much as possible. Cloven-hoofed animals should not be moved unless absolutely necessary. Limiting movement provides an opportunity to identify and quarantine further undetected, affected properties, thus preventing any further spread of the disease. The significance of the incubation period for FMD cannot be overstated. During this period, animals may appear healthy while shedding the virus and not yet displaying clinical signs of the disease.
Farmers are again urged to observe stringent biosecurity measures on their farms to protect their herds from infection. Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act imposes a legal duty on animal owners or managers to take all reasonable steps to prevent their animals from becoming infected and to prevent the spread of any disease from their animals or land to others.
Essential biosecurity measures include:
- Any cattle, sheep, or goats newly introduced to a farm must be kept separate from resident herds for at least 28 days.
- Only introduce animals accompanied by a health declaration from known clean farms.
- Prevent nose-to-nose contact between farm animals and animals outside the farm.
- Maintain secure farm boundaries and restrict access for people and vehicles as much as possible.
- Ensure that farm personnel have no contact with animals outside the property.
- Provide clean clothing and washing facilities for all visitors and personnel, and ensure thorough cleaning and disinfection of any vehicles and farming implements brought onto a property.
- Regularly consult with the responsible private and state veterinarian and animal health technician to refine biosecurity measures.