Suspected Foot and Mouth Disease case raises alarm in Swartland Municipality

The Swartland Municipality has called for action and collaboration in response to a suspected Foot and Mouth Disease case, aiming to safeguard local agriculture and farmer livelihoods. The Swartland Municipality has announced a suspected case of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), raising concerns in one of the Western Cape’s vital dairy regions. Efforts are being coordinated with the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinary Services to monitor the situation closely, as stakeholders brace for potential impact on the agricultural sector.

The affected farm, located on the outskirts of Cape Town, is currently under surveillance while awaiting laboratory confirmation of the suspected infection. “We are awaiting lab confirmation, until lab confirmation has been received, all protocols will be followed as if this is a confirmed positive case,” said the municipality. “Swartland Municipal Law Enforcement will continue to work closely with various partners to enforce a movement control zone.

“Swartland Municipality has requested feedback from the Provincial Department of Agriculture on when the rollout of FMD vaccines will be possible in Swartland.” The vaccinations form part of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s 21-point action plan to combat the national FMD outbreak in the Western Cape, where the Department of Agriculture will deploy veterinarians and animal health technicians to vaccinate about 450 cattle. The municipality said it has also approached the Provincial Department of Agriculture for information on the rollout of FMD vaccines within its boundaries. With dairy farming being a cornerstone of Swartland’s economy, the need for swift action and cooperation among all stakeholders is paramount, it stated.

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In a related development, Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, revealed an escalating response to the provincial FMD outbreak. On Friday, February 20, the officials updated the public with plans to distribute over 400,000 doses of vaccines, building on an initial allocation of 30,000 doses from the national government.

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