AGRICULTURAL NEWS - The vaccinations for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Garden Route continue as a portion of 100 000 vaccine doses that arrived at Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday evening, 10 March, is expected.
These doses are a portion of 100 000 doses for the Western Cape that arrived at Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday evening, 10 March.
The Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, said the arrival of the 100 000 doses marks a significant turning point as vaccinations can now be steadily scaled up across the province to fully immunise the provincial herd.
Other districts that will receive portions from this new batch are the West Coast and Cape Winelands. Distribution is co-ordinated by a provincial ‘war room’ where Agri Western Cape, the Milk Producers' Organisation and private veterinarians give their input.
The sixth farm on which cattle tested positive in the Mossel Bay area last week falls just west of the current 10km quarantine zone.
Veterinary control points had to be extended to cover that area, according to an update issued by the Garden Route Multi-agency Command Centre on Tuesday. This farm is epidemiologically linked to the index farm.
“Fortunately, all the animals on this as well as the adjacent farms have been proactively vaccinated,” said Gerhard Otto, head of the Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Disaster Management Centre.
Local state veterinarian Dr Leana Janse van Rensburg has called on the community to avoid the unnecessary movement of animals between farms, but if needed, that proper biosecurity measures be adhered to.
The update on other figures in the Garden Route is as follows:
- FMD-suspect sites, pending test results: six (increased by one)
- FMD tests returned negative: 12
- Number of farms vaccinated: 87 (increased by 13)
- FMD vaccines administered to date: 14 124 (increased by 787)
Awaiting this and that
Otto said the Garden Route Command Centre has received no official response from the South African National Defence Force regarding the request for assistance at vehicle control points.
They are also still awaiting the official FMD infectious material waste management protocol currently being developed by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. “Formal clarification on the implementation of the Article 9 protocols relating to the movement of animals is also still being awaited.”
He welcomed the erection of signage on the N9, N1 and N2 that warn people entering the province about the FMD control zone, restrictions on livestock entry, the need to stop at control points, and the requirement for permits.
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