The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) says it will call on the government to declare a state of emergency following the confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) inside Namibia’s internationally recognised FMD-free zone.
The union said the outbreak posed a serious threat to the livestock industry, rural communities and the national economy, and that a state of emergency would make the full resources and powers of the state available to contain the disease.
The call follows the confirmation of FMD on a commercial farm in the Karasburg State Veterinary District in the //Kharas Region.
According to the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS), veterinary officials observed 63 cattle showing clinical signs of FMD during routine surveillance on 22 September. Samples wer
e collected from 11 cattle and submitted to the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Windhoek.
Ten of the 11 samples tested positive for FMD on 23 September.
The DVS has activated the National FMD Contingency Plan under the Animal Health Act of 2011 and introduced a range of measures with immediate effect.
These include a nationwide suspension of the movement, marketing and trade of cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products, as well as a suspension of imports, exports and transit movements.
The slaughter of cloven-hoofed animals at export and local abattoirs, informal markets and social events has also been halted.
Intensive surveillance has begun to establish the extent of the outbreak, while roadblocks are being set up at strategic locations to enforce movement restrictions.
The NAU said it fully supported the Chief Veterinary Officer and DVS and urged farmers and the public to follow veterinary and law-enforcement instructions.
“This disease does not respect fences, boundaries or good intentions. It is stopped only by discipline, and that discipline must come from all of us,” the union said.
It warned that an unauthorised livestock movement, an unreported case or a careless visitor could undermine containment efforts.
The NAU urged livestock owners and members of the public to stop moving cloven-hoofed animals and products derived from them, and to report suspected cases or unauthorised movements to the nearest state veterinarian immediately.
Farmers have also been urged to strengthen biosecurity measures and avoid spreading unverified information.
The DVS warned farmers against illegally importing FMD vaccines or vaccinating animals within the FMD-free zone, saying such actions were unlawful and could result in penalties.
FMD is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The disease can cause sores and ulcers, excessive salivation, reduced movement, loss of body condition and a significant decline in milk production.
The DVS called on farmers, the public and other stakeholders to work with veterinary authorities to contain the outbreak as quickly as possible.
