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The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Free State has confirmed 10 new cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) bringing the total cases to 443 outbreaks. According to the department, the outbreaks were confirmed in Edenburg/ Reddersburg (1), Viljoenskroon/Vredefort (4), Welkom/ Odendaalsrus/ Ventersburg/ Henneman/ Virginia (1) and Qwa-Qwa/ Harrismith (4).
The department says to date; the outbreaks have been confirmed in 18 local municipalities in the province. They were confirmed the following municipalities:
Kroonstad outbreak (Moqhaka Municipality) – Twenty-one (21) confirmed cases Viljoenskroon/Vredefort outbreak (Moqhaka Municipality)–Seventy-three(73) confirmed cases Heilbron outbreak (Ngwathe Municipality) – Nine (9) confirmed cases Edenville/ Koppies outbreak (Ngwathe Municipality) – Fourteen (14) confirmed cases Parys/ Vredefort outbreak (Ngwathe Municipality) – Fifty (50) confirmed cases Sasolburg/ Deneysville outbreak (Metsimaholo Municipality) – Forty-six (46) confirmed case Frankfort/Cornelia/Villiers outbreak (Mafube Municipality)–Thirty-five (35) confirmed cases Bethlehem/ Tweeling outbreak (Dihlabeng Municipality) – Twenty-one (21) confirmed cases
Reitz/ Lindley outbreak (Nketoana Municipality) – Twenty (20) confirmed cases
Warden outbreak (Phumelela Municipality) – Twelve (12) confirmed cases Vrede / Memel outbreak (Phumelela Municipality) – Twenty-four (24) confirmed cases
Qwa-Qwa/ Harrismith outbreak (Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality) – Twenty-four (24) confirmed cases Welkom/ Odendaalsrus/ Ventersburg/ Henneman/ Virginia outbreak (Matjhabeng Municipality) – Seventeen (17) confirmed cases
Bothaville outbreak (Nala Municipality) – Seven (7) confirmed cases
Marquard/ Senekal outbreak (Setsoto Municipality) – Twenty (20) confirmed case
Hlohlolwane (Clocolan) outbreak (Setsoto Municipality) – Twenty-three (23) confirmed cases Ladybrand/ Hobhouse outbreak (Mantsopa Municipality) – Three (3) confirmed cases Smithfield/Rouxville outbreak (Mohokare Municipality) – Three (3) confirmed cases Edenburg/Reddersburg outbreak (Kopanong Municipality) – Seven (7) confirmed cases Bloemfontein (Mangaung Metro) – One (1) confirmed case
Thaba Nchu (Mangaung Metro) – One (1) confirmed case
Bultfontein (Tswelopele Municipality) – Five (5) confirmed cases
Winburg (Masilonyana Municipality) – Two (2) confirmed cases
Boshof/Bultfontein (Tokologo Municipality) – Five (5) confirmed cases
The Department received 200 000 doses of the Biogenesis Bago vaccine on 25 February 2026 and 195 000 doses of the Dollvet vaccine on 12 March 2026. Vaccination rollout in all five districts commenced on 26 February 2026.
A total of 245 649 cattle have been vaccinated with Biogenesis Bago and the Dollvet vaccine. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL VACCINATION IS FREE OF CHARGE.
Applications for vaccination are open, and the Department has received a large number of requests. It is important to note that not all applications will be successful during the first round of vaccination, as the Department has prioritised high-risk areas through a targeted vaccination approach,” said Moliehi Moeng, the Spokesperson for the department.
Moeng says farmers are nevertheless encouraged to submit applications, as this information assists the Department with planning the vaccination rollout and determining future vaccine requirements.
“Movement restrictions have been implemented on all farms within a 10-kilometre radius of the infected farms. The infected farms have been placed under quarantine, and all farms within this radius have been notified and placed under precautionary quarantine until surveillance is completed to determine any further spread of the disease. All farms neighbouring suspect farms have been notified and also placed under precautionary quarantine pending results of suspect farm,” said Moeng.
