Molao to address FMD outbreak in Ramatlabama

The Minister of Agriculture, Fidelis Molao, is set to update the nation on the suspected outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) at Ramatlabama village.

The minister disclosed this when responding to enquiries from The Monitor, following an announcement by South African authorities last week.

The South African Department of Agriculture issued a notice expressing concerns about the suspected FMD outbreak in Ramatlabama, near Mahikeng in the North West province.

According to South African media reports, the farm in question has been placed under quarantine and further investigations, including sample collection, are underway in the area.

“The department wishes to emphasise that at this point in time, it is just a suspicion of an outbreak, based on positive serology results. Epidemiological investigations are underway to confirm the presence or absence of virus circulation,” the notice stated.

“The farm is located in Ramatlabana, which is a village that borders Botswana. The department collected samples as part of a routine ongoing surveillance programme and no clinical signs were noted at the time of sampling. Farmers in North West Province are cautioned to observe bio-security measures,” it added. Molao affirmed: “I am hosting a press conference on Tuesday (tomorrow) to address all {that} you mentioned.”

The detection of the suspected outbreak has caused concern amongst farmers, particularly as Ramatlabama is home to the renowned Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory and Training Centre, where the government’s highly discussed bull semen is stored.