New Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak confirmed in Free State
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) on a commercial farm in the Moqhaka Local Municipality near Kroonstad in the Free State.
The outbreak was officially confirmed last week following the quarantine of the affected property two days earlier.
According to the department, immediate control measures were implemented, including quarantine, intensified surveillance, and emergency vaccination of livestock.
Investigations are underway to determine the source of the infection, while all farms within a 10-kilometer radius are under close monitoring.
"Trace-back activities are ongoing, and active surveillance is being conducted to assess the possible extent of the spread," read the statement released by the department.
As of July 2025, a total of 270 FMD outbreaks have been reported across five provinces in the country.
Of these, 249 outbreaks remain active, while only 21 have been resolved to date.
The KwaZulu-Natal province remains the most severely affected with 191 outbreaks reported, 172 of which are still unresolved.
In Gauteng, 32 outbreaks have been reported since May 2025, while North West has four open cases and Mpumalanga has recorded three.
The Department of Agriculture has urged farmers and stakeholders to remain vigilant and comply with all biosecurity protocols.
"We continue to monitor the situation closely and appeal for cooperation from all sectors to contain the spread of the disease," the department added.
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