Joint Media Release by Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism Dr Ivan Meyer,
Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccination roll out ramps up as Western Cape receives 100,000 mores vaccine doses
100,000 doses of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine arrived at Cape Town International Airport last night, providing a further boost to the Western Cape Government’s efforts to combat the disease in the province.
These will be distributed across the West Coast, Cape Winelands, and Garden Route districts, coordinated by a provincial “war room”, which meets regularly.
The ongoing vaccination drive will be steadily scaled up to fully immunise the provincial herd. Further notable developments include:
- 48 612 animals have so far been vaccinated across the province.
- 276 vaccination sites have been set up.
- 29 private veterinarians are assisting State Veterinarians.
- The Western Cape has now received a total of 162,120 doses of vaccines.
- Warning road signs have been erected along all major highways which link the Western Cape to neighbouring provinces.
- Checkpoints have been set up along several major roads.
Since the first cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD were confirmed in the Western Cape, the provincial government has pulled out all the stops in bringing the outbreak under control.
This coordinated effort is made possible by support from key stakeholders, including the Milk Producers Organisation, Red Meat Producers, Milk SA, Agri Western Cape and Shoprite.
All affected districts are reporting encouraging progress in driving the 21-point FMD response plan being led by the Western Cape Government and numerous role players.
The plan includes:
- Movement control, including 24/7 border monitoring.
- Monitoring, surveillance, and traceability, through on-the-ground rapid response from provincial veterinary services.
- Protocols such as communication, by-law enforcement, and contingency plans.
- Recovery involving cleaning operations and monitoring quarantine areas.
“All of this progress is made possible through collaboration,” said Premier Winde. He commended all agricultural role players for their ongoing assistance in managing the outbreak.
The Premier added, “We will continue to intensify the response plan to protect this critical sector of our economy. I personally chair a weekly joint operation meeting with all stakeholders, including municipalities, to ensure that everything is being done to manage this crisis. In everything we do, we aim to protect growth, livelihoods and jobs.”
“I want to echo the Premier’s gratitude to every role player who has worked tirelessly to bring this outbreak under control. Your dedication is the backbone of our collective progress. The arrival of the 100,000 additional vaccine doses in the Western Cape marks a significant turning point. It means we can now accelerate vaccinations across the province, ensuring that we protect our livestock, support our farmers, and strengthen this vital sector of our economy,” said Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, who received the new vaccine doses last night.
The Premier is in regular contact with national Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, to follow up and ensure that a livestock movement permitting system is put in place to further bolster the Western Cape containment plan.
Media Enquiries:
Regan Thaw
Media Liaison Officer to the Premier
083 627 7246
Email: Regan.Thaw@westerncape.gov.za
