Namibia has confirmed a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Karasburg State Veterinary District of the //Kharas Region, with 17 positive cases recorded so far, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform announced on Saturday.
Acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Dr Charles Mubita said the first clinical cases were detected on 22 September 2026 and subsequently confirmed through laboratory testing.
According to Mubita, 10 of 11 samples collected from a herd of 65 cattle on the affected farm tested positive for the FMD virus.
The detection prompted the Ministry to activate Namibia’s FMD Contingency Plan under the Animal Health Act of 2011. On 23 September, authorities imposed nationwide restrictions on the movement of cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products while investigations into the extent of the outbreak continue.
Mubita said the restrictions were necessary to give veterinary authorities time to establish whether the disease had spread beyond the affected area and to implement measures aimed at containing it.
“FMD is a notifiable and state-controlled disease,” Mubita said, warning that the disease could have severe economic consequences for Namibia’s livestock sector and the broader value chain.
Traceability investigations launched after the initial positive results identified four cattle that had moved from the infected farm in the Karasburg District to the Otjozondjupa Region.
The four animals, together with 26 additional cattle tested as a precautionary measure, were clinically examined and sampled on 24 September. All 30 samples returned negative results, according to the Ministry.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the 65 cattle on the infected farm, as well as animals on surrounding farms.
As part of intensified surveillance between 22 and 25 September, veterinary authorities collected 199 samples from several regions. These included 117 samples from Karasburg, 50 from Gobabis, 30 from Otjiwarongo, and one each from Windhoek and Ondangwa.
Of the 199 samples, 17 tested positive, with all positive results originating from the Karasburg State Veterinary District.
Mubita said there was, so far, no evidence from the surveillance exercise that the outbreak had spread beyond the Karasburg veterinary district.
The Ministry has mobilised veterinary officials from both the public and private sectors to intensify traceability, clinical examinations and laboratory sampling.
The results of the ongoing investigations will guide decisions on when and where the current movement restrictions can be gradually eased.
Mubita said the Ministry would communicate any changes through a Veterinary Public Notice once sufficient information had been obtained.
The government has also established an FMD Support Fund, with support from the livestock industry, to mobilise additional resources for combating the outbreak.
The Acting Minister appealed to members of the public, the private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to contribute to the fund, saying additional resources would assist authorities in intensifying disease-control measures.
Mubita warned that an uncontrolled FMD outbreak could disrupt livestock marketing, affect food security and threaten the livelihoods and incomes of farming communities.
He said the Ministry’s analysis of traceability data remained incomplete because the disease’s 14-day incubation period was still ongoing.
“While surveillance shall continue, we will announce in due course the lifting of some restrictions in certain areas,” Mubita said.
He urged Namibians to cooperate with veterinary authorities and comply with the movement restrictions while investigations and containment measures continue.
The Ministry said further updates would be provided as new information becomes available.
