Western Cape ramps up Foot and Mouth Disease vaccination campaign

THE Western Cape has received 100 000 additional Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine doses to be distributed across the West Coast, Cape Winelands and Garden Route districts, where containment efforts are currently focused.

- WENDY DONDOLO [e-mail]

VACCINATION efforts ramp up in the Western Cape as authorities receive 100,000 additional doses to combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease.

This comes as authorities ramp up a province-wide vaccination campaign to protect livestock and the agricultural economy.

The provincial government said the rollout forms part of a coordinated response led by a provincial "war room", which meets regularly to monitor progress and coordinate action among government and agricultural stakeholders.

So far, the vaccination programme has seen 48 612 animals vaccinated, with 276 vaccination sites established across the province. The effort is being supported by 29 private veterinarians assisting state veterinarians, while the province has now received a total of 162 120 vaccine doses.