The government, through the ministry of agriculture and under supervision of the Directorate of Veterinary Services, yesterday commenced with compulsory vaccination against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak for cloven-hoofed animals in designated parts of the Karasburg State Veterinary District of the //Kharas region.
Issued under Veterinary Public Notification No. 19 of 2026 by State chief veterinary officer Dr Kenneth Shoombe, the compulsory mass vaccination campaign is structured into three mandatory rounds over the next three months.
Unless an official extension is granted by the chief veterinary officer by notice, the entire operation is slated to conclude by mid-January 2027.
Livestock owners, managers, and agents are all legally required to present 100% of their cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, for each of the three successive rounds during the stipulated vaccination period.
Romeo Muyunda, the ministry’s deputy director for public relations and information services, announced that as of yesterday, 14 October 2026, a total of 63 011 animals has been inspected, with 131 animals testing positive for FMD, serotype SAT 1, across 18 confirmed infected farms.
The outbreak in //Kharas remains confined to the Karasburg State Veterinary District. The first round of surveillance covered 82 farms within the 30km radius from the index farm.
Teams on the ground are currently conducting the second round of surveillance which was extended to 50km from the index farm, with 11 of 65 targeted farms inspected to date.
Eighteen roadblocks with veterinary checkpoints in the //Kharas, Khomas and Otjozondjupa regions have been operational since 25 September 2026, and a Namibian Defence Force drone team began monitoring compliance at the outbreak epicentre since Tuesday this week.
“Every owner, agent, or person in charge of cloven-hoofed animals [including cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs] within the designated areas in Karasburg Veterinary District must present such animals for compulsory vaccination against FMD at the designated areas, dates, and times specified by the district State Veterinarian. All owners must round up and present 100% of their cloven-hoofed livestock for vaccination. Owners are required to ensure that suitable handling facilities (crush-pens) and necessary labour are available to assist veterinary officials during the administration of the vaccine,” said Muyunda.
He cautioned that under the current regulations, private importation, possession, or independent administration of FMD vaccines within the FMD-free zone is strictly prohibited. Only state-supplied vaccines administered by authorised veterinary officials will be allowed.
The notice describes the vaccination zone as including a band of two farms or establishments north of the B3 road between Ariamsvlei and Grunau, and all farms or establishments south of that road up to the Orange River.
It also refers to a band of two farms or establishments north of the B1-C10 road and all farms or establishments south of the C10 road up to the Orange River.
The notice further states that the directive applies to farms and establishments south of the B3 and the C10 road leading to Ai-Ais. Vaccination arrangements for properties north of those roads may change following ongoing risk assessments.
Disease control fence
Muyunda also announced that notice has given to construct an animal disease control fence from Klein Manasse (Aroab) to Naute Dam and then to the Fish River Canyon, to contain the spread of FMD within the affected areas.
Construction will begin after notices have been served to the affected landowners in accordance with the Animal Health Act. Interfering with the fence or obstructing officials working on it is a criminal offence.
On the Zambezi region FMD outbreak, which was confirmed in the Kalala Island
on 6 October 2026, he said no new clinical cases had been reported, and no additional lesions were found during active surveillance, in which six teams examined 6,226 cattle at 17 crush pens.
“Emergency vaccination has been carried out, with 2,942 cattle vaccinated at Kalala from 7 to 9 October and a further total of 7,922 cattle were vaccinated from 12-13 October 2026 at 11 crush pens. A strategic vaccination programme with seven teams will continue to run until 21 October 2026. Five strategic roadblocks will be operational from 14 October 2026 at Kongola, Selela, Luhonono, Bukalo and Nakabolelwa,” he shared.
Muyunda called on farmers, the livestock industry, and the general public to report any suspected unauthorised movement of meat and meat products in violation of the prescribed control measures and restrictions implemented in response to the FMD outbreaks in the //Kharas and Zambezi Regions.
– ohembapu@nepc.com.na
The post Compulsory FMD vaccination commence in Karasburg appeared first on New Era.