Gauteng celebrates 96% drop in new foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks

Gauteng has recorded a dramatic 96% decline in new foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks, signalling major progress in the province's fight to contain the highly contagious livestock disease.

New outbreaks dropped from 166 recorded between October 2025 and January 2026 to just six cases between June and August 2026.

The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development attributed the sharp decline to its rapid response strategy, which combined mass vaccinations, surveillance, movement controls and stricter biosecurity measures.

The intervention was led by MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, with the provincial government providing additional resources for field workers, vaccinations and disease-control operations.

Vaccination has been at the centre of the province's response, with more than 542,000 animals vaccinated between February and August this year.

The campaign covered cattle in feedlots, dairy farms, communal herds and commercial beef operations.

According to the department, 94% of cattle outside feedlots have now received an initial FMD vaccination, surpassing the 80% coverage generally targeted to build strong herd immunity.

All cattle on Gauteng dairy farms have also received a second booster vaccination.

The province is also beginning to see progress in farms recovering from previous outbreaks.

Of the 308 herds confirmed to have been infected since April 2025, 176 have now been cleared from quarantine after clinical inspections found no signs of circulating FMD virus.

MEC Ramokgopa welcomed the progress but warned that the province could not afford to let its guard down.

“A 96% reduction in new outbreaks is a significant achievement and shows that our collective efforts are working. But we cannot afford to become complacent. FMD remains a serious threat,” she said.

She stressed the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage, strong biosecurity measures and continued surveillance.

The department has urged livestock owners to closely monitor their animals, maintain strict biosecurity practices and immediately report suspected cases to their nearest State Veterinarian.

While the latest figures offer hope that the outbreak is being brought under control, authorities say continued cooperation between government, farmers and livestock keepers will be critical to preventing a resurgence of the disease.

For now, Gauteng's focus remains on sustaining the gains made and protecting the province's livestock industry from further outbreaks.