Staff Reporter
THE number of farms affected by Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) has increased from three to five in the Karasburg State Veterinary District, with Agriculture Minister Inge Zaamwani warning that further relaxation of restrictions should not be expected until the 14-day incubation period has passed.
Updating the National Assembly on Wednesday, Zaamwani said the latest surveillance had confirmed the disease remained localised to the Karasburg district, while livestock traced from the affected establishment to the Otjozondjupa Region had tested negative and were subsequently cleared.
She said the Namibia Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NamLITS) had played an important role in tracing livestock movements and assessing the risk of further transmission.
“Traceability is an essential tool for disease surveillance, containment and informed decision making,” Zaamwani said.
According to the minister, traceability information and livestock inspections had not identified evidence of transmission to areas north of the Veterinary Cordon Fence.
She said this had supported the partial lifting of restrictions in areas north of the fence, while movements from the south to the north remained restricted.
Zaamwani said the government’s response was being reviewed daily as new surveillance, inspection, testing and traceability information became available.
She said the partial adjustment of restrictions demonstrated that measures could be adapted according to the level of risk rather than maintaining the same restrictions across the country indefinitely.
“The policy objective must therefore remain to contain, eradicate the disease while progressively restoring normal economic activity whenever the scientific evidence supports us to do so,” she said.
The minister said the outbreak continued to have implications across the livestock value chain, affecting farm incomes, livestock sales, transportation, abattoir operations, meat processing, employment and businesses supporting the trade in animals and animal products.
She said the ministry was also engaging trading partners on the implications of the outbreak for Namibia’s export-oriented livestock industry.
Zaamwani said the Chief Veterinary Officer and his team were meeting European Union officials in Windhoek to discuss the animal health situation and whether existing export consignments could meet the relevant requirements.
The minister said maintaining confidence in Namibia’s animal health and traceability systems was essential for protecting access to international markets.
She also emphasised that FMD is not a zoonotic disease and does not affect humans, but urged the public to comply with veterinary measures governing the movement and handling of livestock and animal products.
Zaamwani said the outbreak had highlighted the importance of strengthening Namibia’s animal health systems, including electronic movement control, surveillance, laboratory capacity, field veterinary services and emergency preparedness.
She said the ministry was currently costing its emergency response plan and would consider reprioritising resources and mobilising additional funding where necessary.
“Our investment must extend beyond the outbreak,” she said, adding that continued investment was needed to detect disease early, trace affected animals and minimise the economic impact of future outbreaks.
Zaamwani said the latest developments had demonstrated the value of intensified surveillance, outbreak investigations, livestock inspections, laboratory testing and traceability in guiding decisions on movement restrictions.
She urged farmers, traders, industry stakeholders and members of the public to maintain accurate livestock records, comply with movement and biosecurity requirements and report suspected FMD cases without delay.
The minister cautioned that Namibia was still within the 14-day incubation period following the initial detection of the outbreak and urged the public to remain patient.
“As I have said, yesterday we were dealing with three farms. Today we are dealing with five farms. So the virus is spreading and requires all of us to make sure we comply with the necessary biosecurity measures,” Zaamwani said.
Photo: Parliament of the Republic of Namibia
