Another outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease

By Thapelo Molefe

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Free State.

It said on Monday that the outbreak was confirmed on a commercial farm in the Moqhaka Local Municipality, which falls under the Kroonstad veterinary area.

“The affected property was placed under quarantine on 8 July 2025, and immediate control measures were implemented, including surveillance and vaccination,” said ministry spokesperson Joylene Van Wyk.

She said trace-back activities were ongoing to determine the source of the infection, while farms in the surrounding 10km radius were undergoing surveillance to determine the possible extent of the spread.

As of July, a total of 270 FMD outbreaks have been reported across five provinces. Of these, 249 outbreaks remain unresolved, while 21 have been resolved.

The Eastern Cape has recorded 40 outbreaks, with 38 still open and two resolved. There have been no new reported cases