Over 261,000 animals affected by foot-and-mouth outbreak in Gauteng

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said that more than 261,000 animals have been affected by the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the province.

Gauteng is among the worst-affected provinces, alongside KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the Free State, and the North West.

Lesufi warned that the outbreak poses significant risks to the economy, with potential disruptions to trade and job losses in the livestock sector.

"Because if it harms the economy of our province, we will see the escalation of food prices, especially beef and other related prices that may make food security a difficult aspect in our province. The foot and mouth outbreak, which has been unfolding over several months, has reached the level of a nationwide animal health crisis," said Lesufi.

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