The Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has resurfaced, sending authorities scrambling to contain another serious outbreak just months after hopes that the situation was under control.
Despite a nationwide vaccination programme, over 10 dip tanks and farms at Lubulini in the Lubombo region have now been quarantined following new reported cases.
The affected dip tanks and farms include Mbuthu, Dip Mamba, Mbatjane, Mabhunu, Sikhele, Mkhiwa, Richmond Farm, Orbaland Farm, and Nduma Farm.
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According to sources within the area, Mabhunu has recorded the highest number of cases at 125, discovered last Thursday. Richmond Farm follows closely with 115 cases, Orbaland Farm has 100 cases, and Nduma Farm has 88 cases.
“The numbers are alarming and it is now affecting title deed land farms, which also farm for the market,” the source said.
Background: From Shiselweni to Lubombo
The first confirmed case of FMD in Eswatini was identified on May 12 at Sikhwebezi dip tank in Mkhwakhweni, Shiselweni. By the end of May, the outbreak had escalated to over 1,000 cases across the region, spreading to 13 dip tanks and designated as red zones.
A vaccination campaign was rolled out, with 45,761 cattle immunised using part of the 100,000 doses imported by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ministry Response
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Sydney Simelane confirmed the fresh cases:
“The disease has spread to the Lubombo region, although I cannot give the exact number of cases at the moment. The FMD Control Unit is handling the matter and we will issue a comprehensive report once everything has been finalised.”
Simelane noted that the spread is partly due to farmers’ non-compliance with movement restrictions and biosecurity regulations.
“It is saddening that although FMD started in Shiselweni and we quarantined Hluthi and Lavumisa, the disease has since spread to other areas,” he added.
Economic Impact
FMD threatens Eswatini’s livestock industry and export markets. The country exports frozen meat primarily to Norway, South Africa, Mozambique, and Asia. The outbreak has already disrupted exports, putting pressure on farmers and the agricultural economy.
In neighbouring South Africa, Minister of Agriculture John Henry Steenhuisen reported 270 cases across five provinces. He announced the arrival of 90,000 vaccine doses imported from Botswana to support mass vaccination.
Way Forward
Authorities in Eswatini have pledged intensified:
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Monitoring and enforcement of quarantines
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Continued vaccination drives
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Stricter adherence to movement restrictions
With Lubombo now a hotspot, the fight against FMD remains a national priority to safeguard livestock and farmers’ livelihoods.
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