Agriculture Minister Steenhuisen hails success of FMD vaccination drive in South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA – Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has expressed satisfaction with early results from the country’s mass Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination campaign, declaring that the vaccines are proving effective in protecting the national herd.

Minister Steenhuisen said early data shows the strategy is yielding positive results. He highlighted that since February 2026 up until 26 March 2026, provinces have vaccinated a total of 2,033,289 animals, with no new disease breakthroughs reported in already vaccinated herds.

“Crucially, there have been no new breakthroughs in herds that have already been vaccinated, providing a clear indication that the vaccines are effective,” Minister Steenhuisen said.

Despite ongoing outbreaks across all nine provinces, the minister attributed the recent increase in reported cases to improved surveillance rather than a worsening situation.

“The recent increase in reported numbers is due to improved government capacity. We have strengthened surveillance and implemented a centralised reporting system, allowing for earlier detection and faster data capture,” he explained.

Minister Steenhuisen further noted that heightened public awareness has helped identify previously undetected cases.

As of 10 April 2026, a total of 1,317 FMD cases have been recorded nationwide. The Free State (328) and North West (247) currently report the highest numbers, while the Northern Cape remains the least affected with only 3 cases.

The department has secured a steady supply of vaccines, with four million doses already received — 2.5 million from Biogénesis Bagó (Argentina) and 1.5 million from Dollvet (Turkey). An additional two million doses from Dollvet and 3.5 million from Biogénesis Bagó are expected before the end of April 2026.

Vaccination is being prioritised using a risk-based approach, with particular success in the dairy sector. All recorded dairies in the Free State have been vaccinated, and major dairies in the Western Cape have been fully attended to. KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape have received the largest allocations due to their high animal populations.

On 10 April 2026, Minister Steenhuisen announced the intention to publish the Routine Vaccination Scheme for Foot and Mouth Disease (RVS-FMD) under Section 10 of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984. The public comment period closes on 17 April 2026, with the final scheme expected on 24 April 2026.

The minister urged farmers to continue cooperating with vaccination teams and to report any suspected cases promptly.

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