The Western Cape’s coordinated Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) response plan has reached a new level of intensity with the arrival of 8,000 additional vaccine doses. This latest shipment supplements the 100,000 doses received on 10 March, bringing the total number of doses received by the province to 170,400 to date.
The province notably did not wait for overseas arrivals to act. Using an initial allocation of roughly 62,120 doses, veterinary teams had already protected nearly 50,000 animals before the recent large-scale shipments landed. This proactive “first wave” allowed the provincial “War Room” to stabilize high-risk areas while scaling up for the current mass-rollout phase.
Operational Milestone: 438 Sites Activated
Premier Alan Winde confirmed during a weekly meeting with district Mayors and agricultural stakeholders that the efforts to contain and eradicate FMD are “proceeding well.” The latest figures reveal a massive logistics effort by the Department of Agriculture:
- Administered Doses: More than 121,000 vaccinations have now been completed.
- Geographic Reach: Operations are currently active across 438 vaccination sites.
- Expert Support: The drive is bolstered by 29 registered private veterinarians working alongside provincial state vets.
“As a province, we are pushing to procure our own FMD vaccines and fully implement a provincial permit system,” stated Premier Winde. He emphasized that this would streamline the response even further and urged the national Department of Agriculture to enable the province through necessary regulatory processes.
Easter Readiness: Intensifying the Line of Defense
With the busy Easter period approaching, the provincial government is shifting focus to prevent viral spread through holiday traffic. Dr. Ivan Meyer, Provincial Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, announced that movement controls will be significantly strengthened.
“We will be intensifying FMD checkpoint operations to ensure full compliance with veterinary movement protocols,” said Dr. Meyer. Law enforcement and veterinary teams will conduct thorough vehicle checks at all provincial entry points and major highways to safeguard animal health and the economic stability of rural communities.