A lack of vaccines, new strains of disease and the unopposed spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has Eastern Cape farmers on their knees, praying they do not see a second outbreak of the financially devastating disease.

Just as some Eastern Cape farmers breathed a sigh of relief after their foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) quarantine was lifted last year, the threat of the disease spreading across the country has them hunkering down and praying they will be spared a second outbreak.

With new cases being reported almost daily across the country, veterinarians in the field say controlling the spread of the disease is becoming increasingly challenging as domesticated animals, as well as wildlife, are contributing to the ongoing crisis.

And while FMD holds no threat to human wellbeing, it is spreading across various animal species at an alarming rate, raising questions about whether the disease, which is typically only spread through contact, has now become airborne.

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While the regions along SA's northern borders have always been more susceptible to FMD, the Eastern Cape recorded localised outbreaks two years ago, with confirmed cases in the Kouga Municipality and the northeastern parts of the province.

In recent months, more and more cases have been confirmed across the province and country, with the Northern Cape currently the only province not to report any positive cases of FMD.

Several dairy farms in Kouga were placed under quarantine for 12 months, some of...