Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak spreads across six provinces

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa 's announcement in his state of the nation address last week that Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) had been declared a National Disaster, the Department of Agriculture provided an update on the FMD outbreak detailing the spread across six provinces.

The Department said that suspected clinical signs of FMD were reported in all districts of the Eastern Cape province.

“Samples were collected and results confirmed outbreaks of FMD in 18 locations, while a number of results are still pending. The virus was identified as SAT1. Clinical signs of FMD were detected in April 2024 on a farm in Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape Province. Samples tested positive for FMD SAT3. A total of 39 farms were found FMD-positive. In addition, a further 36 farms were pre-emptively vaccinated and also placed under quarantine.”

The Department added that in the Free State, an outbreak of SAT2 FMD was confirmed on a commercial farm in Moqhaka Local Municipality in July 2025, which is the same as the strain of virus circulating in the KZN SAT2 outbreak event. “The disease has since also been detected in Lejweleputswa, Fezile Dabi, Xhariep, and Thabo Mofutsanyane Districts. A total of 245 outbreaks have been reported to the WOAH. A pig farm tested positive for FMD and the virus was identified as SAT1, related to the strain of FMD virus identified in Gauteng Province in October 2025.”

The Department said in April 2025, an outbreak of FMD was detected in the West Rand Municipality of Gauteng. “The SAT2 serotype was identified, which is the same as the strain of virus circulating in the KZN SAT2 outbreak event. In October 2025, a SAT 1 strain of FMD virus was identified at one of the feedlots located in Gauteng Province. Outbreaks were reported in the City of Tshwane, Randfontein, and Germiston Districts. Currently, there are a total of 188 open outbreaks reported to the WOAH in Gauteng. Three outbreaks were resolved and closed with the WOAH, following depopulation through controlled slaughter.”

The Department said there are currently 202 unresolved outbreaks in KwaZulu-Natal, affecting all districts in KZN. “Outbreaks were initially limited to communal dip tanks and small-scale farms, but have spread to commercial beef and dairy herds in recent months. There are also five affected game reserves, all located in close proximity to one another. Complete resolution of this event is unlikely due to the FMD carrier status of the buffalo populations in these affected game reserves. Most of the current open outbreaks in KZN are part of the ongoing SAT2 FMD event in the area that began in May 2021. In addition, laboratory results indicated the introduction of a SAT1 FMD virus at a diptank in the Mtubatuba.”

The Department added that 20 outbreaks in KZN have been resolved and closed with the WOAH. “Two feedlots were depopulated through controlled slaughter and closed with the WOAH in 2021, while one feedlot was depopulated through controlled slaughter in 2025. Quarantine was also lifted on 17 diptanks after negative testing and absence of clinical disease, and consequently closed with the WOAH. In 2021, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development declared a Disease Management Area (DMA) in the Government Gazette to encompass epidemiologically high-risk areas. The DMA limits had been amended several times in order to improve the efficacy of disease control efforts while protecting local agricultural production.”

The Department saidbased on ongoing risk assessments and monitoring of the affected areas, the boundaries of the DMA were again updated in Government Gazette Notice No. 52318 dated 17 March 2025, after the outbreaks had unfortunately spread to areas not previously affected.

The Department added that in Limpopo, in early December 2025, clinical signs of FMD were reported from a village in the Vhembe District and tests confirmed FMD. “Positive results were confirmed for 10 locations in Vhembe, Waterberg, and Capricorn Districts, with more locations being investigated following reports of suspect lesions.”

The Department said in the Western Cape, suspect lesions of FMD were detected on a farm in the Drakenstein Local Municipality in early November 2025. “This was as a result of a traceback from another infected property in the Free State Province. Laboratory tests confirmed a SAT 1 virus, similar to the virus that caused the SAT1 outbreak in Gauteng in October 2025. Two more outbreaks were reported in Drakenstein Municipality, as well as one outbreak in Mossel Bay Municipality.”

The Department added that in response to confirmed FMD outbreaks, all FMD-infected properties are immediately placed under quarantine on suspicion of disease. “Movement of live cloven-hoofed animals and unprocessed products off the farm are not allowed. Farmers are advised on the implementation of biosecurity on the farms.”

The Department said that vaccination against FMD is strictly government-controlled in South Africa and may only be performed by state veterinary services on instruction by the Director of Animal Health. "The use of vaccination is considered a suitable way to control an outbreak of FMD, taking into account the size of the affected area, the farming practices involved, speed of spread, and effectiveness of control measures already implemented.”

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