JOHANNESBURG, April 15 (Xinhua) -- South Africa has vaccinated more than 2 million livestock against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said Wednesday.
In a statement, Steenhuisen said 2,033,289 animals were vaccinated between February and March 26, adding that no new infections had been detected in herds that had already received vaccines, indicating the effectiveness of the immunization campaign.
A total of 1,317 FMD cases had been recorded nationwide across all nine provinces as of Friday, he said, adding that the recent increase in reported numbers was largely due to improved surveillance capacity.
"We have strengthened surveillance and implemented a centralized reporting system, allowing for earlier detection and faster data capture," said the minister.
South Africa has procured millions of vaccine doses from international suppliers as part of a nationwide mass vaccination drive launched earlier this year. The agricultural department previously confirmed the arrival of major consignments, including 1 million doses from Argentina and 1.5 million doses from Türkiye.
It added that vaccination is being implemented using a risk-based approach that prioritizes areas with high concentrations of susceptible livestock, with dairy herds in provinces such as the Free State and Western Cape among those already covered.
Authorities have also maintained restrictions on the movement of animals from infected areas and urged farmers to report suspected cases promptly as part of strengthened containment measures.
FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and other cloven-hoofed animals.
In January, Steenhuisen outlined a 10-year national strategy for FMD containment, announcing the launch of a nationwide vaccination campaign. On Feb. 12, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the outbreak of FMD across the country had been classified as a national disaster. ■
