Foot-and-mouth disease detected in Limpopo
The Department of Agriculture has quarantined an area in Vhembe in Limpopo after laboratory tests detected foot-and-mouth disease in cattle.
This means that the country's foot-and-mouth disease-free status has been temporarily suspended.
The virus is found in livestock and causes illness in cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, and other animals with divided hooves.
It does not affect humans.
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The department’s spokesperson, Kahaye Nkwanyana, says the investigation started when farmers reported lameness in some of their cattle.
"We sent our scientist to go and test and indeed the tests came positive to confirm that indeed it is foot-and-mouth disease.”
He says veterinary services have been deployed to conduct further investigations and to determine the extent of the outbreak
Nkwanyana says there's a possibility that they will have to kill all livestock that is found to have the virus.
"Our plan is to block the area and eliminate all of them before it can spread very fast to other areas because it is dangerous.”
He says the disease can have a detrimental effect on agriculture which, in turn, negatively impacts the economy.
Nkwanyane says the department will also meet with local farmers.
"They must not panic, we are on top of the issue and that in a couple of days we'll declare that area foot-and-mouth disease free," Nkwanyane says.