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Dr Langa Madyibi, director of Veterinary Services at the North West Department of Agriculture, says the disease has spread to four farms to date and that they are implementing all the necessary control measures to keep the spread of the disease at bay. 

“All of these farms are in a radius of three kilometres,” says Madyibi. He notes that the parameter of their investigation to find any more infected areas has widened to ten kilometres, which allows them to monitor and track the diseases if it were to spread.

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Madyibi says a further four farms are also under investigation, with blood samples that have been sent to their laboratories for investigation. The investigations are at different stages which will be detectable by the lab, however, the labs are fairly over-capacitated with research, which means that results will take a while to be processed. 

“Quarantine, surveillance and movement controls are the three pillars of our control programme, says Madyibi when asked about the measures the province has implemented to mitigate and control the spread of the disease.  He adds they are undergoing plans and processes to implement strict roadblock control, especially in areas that are known for animal transport. He says these roadblocks are another way of combating foot and mouth disease in the province.

Above all, communication and spreading the word about the spread of the disease is equally as vital as the other mitigation efforts and it should be used effectively, adds Madyibi.

He urges all small farmers and commercial farmers to be aware of the spread and to report it to the North West Department of Agriculture as soon as they can. Madyibi ends by saying that combating this type of disease is extremely important and that they have made a request to the government to declare the North West a provincial state of disaster with the hope of strengthening the combat against the disease.

OFM News/Lee Simmons