Published Date: 2000-09-19 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> Foot & mouth dis., swine - S. Africa (02)
Archive Number: 20000919.1611
FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE, SWINE - SOUTH AFRICA (02)
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Foot & mouth dis., swine - S. Africa (KwaZulu Natal) 20000918.1600Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 09:09:20 EDT
From: Candida St. John <CSJMHealth@aol.com>
Source: Reuters, 18 Sep 2000 [edited
The South African Pig Producers Organization said Monday it was confident
last week's outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) at 1 farm was under
control and would not affect the country's agricultural exports. "With it
being an isolated case and the very quick response to the situation by the
government, we are sure it is under control and there won't be a long-term
impact," said Simon Streicher, the general manager of the organization.
South Africa produces about 130 000 tonnes of pork a year and KwaZulu-Natal
province, where the affected farm is located, produces about 10 percent of
that, he said. South Africa exports about 10 000 tonnes of pork a year to
European Union countries and into Africa, he added. There had not been any
response from importers of South African pork and the organization did not
expect much fall-out from news of the first outbreak of FMD in 44 years, he
said.
"We have taken action immediately and treated it as a worst-case scenario.
That should be in our favor when importers of South African agricultural
products consider the situation here," said Gideon Bruckner, the national
director of veterinary services. He said there had been no reports of foot
and mouth disease at neighboring farms or other farms in the area.
The highly-contagious foot-and-mouth disease provokes fevers and blisters
in cloven-hoofed animals. It often leads to death.
Veterinary authorities have slaughtered and buried 600 pigs as well as
cattle, sheep and goats on the farm near Camperdown, a village 40 km
northwest of the port city of Durban, provincial agriculture minister
Narend Singh said. Another 100 farms had been placed under quarantine and
the police and army had set up road blocks to control movement in a 10 km
radius around the affected farm.
Pig feed or swill brought into the country from India, Thailand or the
Middle East was thought to be responsible for the outbreak, the national
Agriculture Ministry said. It has banned imports of swill.
A scientist working at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in Pretoria
said the type O virus was exotic and not endemic to South Africa.
The Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health has been informed of
the outbreak.
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