Namibia vaccinates cattle as //Kharas foot-and-mouth cases hold at 131

Cases and vaccination campaigns

Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform says 131 foot-and-mouth disease cases have been recorded across 18 farms in the //Kharas region since the outbreak was confirmed on 23 September. The detected cases remain confined to the Karasburg State Veterinary District, while officials have begun inspecting farms north of the B3 road. Ten farms have been checked and samples collected for testing, ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said.

The government began vaccinating cattle in //Kharas on 17 October. By Wednesday, 7,402 cattle on 81 farms had been vaccinated. Nineteen teams are working toward a target of about 13,000 cattle in affected areas, including farms south of the B3 between Ariamsvlei and Grünau and toward Ai-Ais and the Orange River.

A separate campaign in Zambezi had covered 53,913 cattle at 37 crush pens within 30 kilometres of Kalala Island, where an outbreak was confirmed on 6 October. The ministry said no additional cases had been reported beyond the designated disease-management area.

Movement restrictions remain

Eighteen roadblocks and veterinary checkpoints remain operational across //Kharas, Hardap, Khomas and Otjozondjupa to enforce livestock movement controls. Raw meat and animal products from facilities within //Kharas remain restricted, and slaughtering animals on farms for commercial sale is prohibited until further notice.

Conditions for meat deliveries

Shops and butcheries in //Kharas may receive raw meat and animal products from registered abattoirs, butcheries and cold-storage facilities outside the region, provided the suppliers are approved by the relevant authorities and valid supporting documents accompany the products, Muyunda said. Customers may carry meat bought from shops in the region for personal use but must retain receipts as proof of purchase.

Cooked and processed meat, biltong, dried sausages and pasteurised milk from registered businesses may also be sold and transported subject to veterinary requirements. Registered processed animal feed can be moved into and within //Kharas when buyers have proof of purchase.