South African Government (Pretoria)

South Africa: Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Free Zone Status

25 February 2013

press release

In September 2012, the South African Veterinary Services applied to the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE) for official recognition of a FMD-free zone without vaccination. Following the meeting of the Scientific Commission of the OIE in February 2013, the commission concluded that the proposed FMD-free zone in South Africa does not fulfil the relevant international requirements as defined in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the OIE.

The main concerns raised by the OIE include aspects of the application including the consistency of the area defined as free, the test used for the surveillance and, the vaccine used in the handling of the outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal. The department is attending to the questions.

The South African Veterinary Services is requesting further details from the OIE and will consider all the feedback in detail, in order to address all the issues raised.

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