Namibia partially lifts foot-and-mouth disease restrictions

Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has announced a partial lifting of movement restrictions following a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the Karasburg Veterinary District of the ||Kharas region. While the disease remains localized to the ||Kharas region, authorities have confirmed that livestock moved to the Otjozondjupa region prior to detection tested negative, clearing that herd of infection.

As a result, restrictions on cloven-hoofed animals and their products are lifted for areas north of the veterinary cordon fence. Protocols for moving commodities like cooked meat and pasteurized milk from north to south of the fence will also resume. However, the ||Kharas region remains under strict control; only the trade of processed animal products, such as meat, milk, and hides, is permitted there.

Dawid Gertze, the Governor of the ||Kharas Region, held an emergency multisectoral engagement in Keetmanshoop to urge residents to comply with biosecurity measures. The goal is to protect the regional economy and return the area to FMD-free status. Local leaders have emphasized the need for cooperation between veterinary services, security clusters, and traditional authorities to contain the outbreak.