St Helena : Foot & Mouth Disease in South Africa
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Public Relations Information Office) 04.03.2011 (Article Archived on 01.04.2011)
On the 25th February the Department of Agriculture in South Africa submitted a notification to the World Organisation for Animal Health, the OIE, of a foot and mouth outbreak in Kwazulu Natal. The initial outbreak was first noted on the 1st of February and to date there have been 12 outbreaks within a closely confined area affecting 250 out of 500 cattle.
Foot & Mouth Disease in South Africa
On the 25th February the Department of Agriculture in South Africa submitted a notification to the World Organisation for Animal Health, the OIE, of a foot and mouth outbreak in Kwazulu Natal. The initial outbreak was first noted on the 1st of February and to date there have been 12 outbreaks within a closely confined area affecting 250 out of 500 cattle.
These cases were detected during routine serological surveillance of South Africa’s border zone with Mozambique to monitor for the incursion of the virus from across the border, and so far there have been no actual clinical cases.
Foot and Mouth is a highly contagious viral disease affecting all cloven hoofed animals. Although it carries a low death rate the economic impact on the productivity of recovered animals, especially cattle, is severe, which is why the disease is treated so seriously. South Africa has been free of disease since 2001, but the disease is constantly present in many countries to the north.
Fortunately the area involved is tucked into the remote rural north-east corner of South Africa directly adjacent to Mozambique, and has affected mainly native villages. The Ministry of Agriculture in South Africa has issued a statement to the effect that the area has been quarantined off. Additional
measures are cessation of all animal movements in the area, zoning and movement controls across the country, and the use of strategic vaccination. They state that the situation is localised and fully under control.
In addition, and of significance to St Helena, they have suspended all exports of cloven hoofed animals and their products, except for those products which have been fully processed to inactivate the virus. This is a vital precaution to protect the interests of the island, and may in the meantime require retailers and importers to consider sourcing their meat products from other nations. It is not known how long this ban will continue, but ANRD will monitor the situation and make further announcements as news becomes available.
D.G Duncan
Chief Agricultural and Natural Resources Officer
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