26 Mar 2026

 Vaccination for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) at Zone 6b, North of Bisoli Farm is at 95.5 per cent and at 96 per cent at Zone 3c - Maitengwe but a small number of cattle still show a few signs of the disease.

Principal veterinary officer Dr Thito Seomile said comparing the numbers of cattle vaccinated during first and second phase of vaccination, the latter was recording significantly higher numbers as many farmers had been able to avail their cattle for the jab.

Briefing the North East district FMD local command centre recently, Dr Seomile said while there were some few signs of FMD at Senyawe and Mowana crushes, generally there was a decline in FMD clinical suspect cases in both. He said because of the signs still being reported, it was clear that FMD existed in the area, hence the likelihood of a third round of vaccination in both Zone 3c - Maitengwe and 6b - North of Bisoli Farm.

“The second phase of clinical and serosurveillance and the 10-kilometre radius at Zone 6a and 6b interface which commenced on March 10th is complete and there were no signs of FMD within that radius,” he said, adding that surveillance and inspection at Zone 3a and 3c was complete and there were no signs of FMD found.

Dr Seomile however stated that there was still a risk of FMD incursion at Zone 6a triangle due to continuous mixing of Zone 6a and 3c cattle “Currently we have put three dozers in the 3c fence, casual labourers as well as teams of fence erectors as part of the mitigation strategy to ensure that the 3c - Maitengwe fence was closed in the shortest possible time,” says Dr Seomile.

He indicated that clinical inspection on cattle was complete at Tonota and Tutume districts with no signs of FMD recorded. However, he said clinical inspections on other species like goats and pigs were still ongoing, while that on wildlife was still pending.

At the moment, he said 17 Botswana cattle had been destroyed after they strayed into Zimbabwe. Dr Seomile recommended vaccination of cattle within a 20-kilometre radius inside Zimbabwe along the two county’s common borders to augment other official FMD controls.

Regarding daily challenges on managing the disease outbreak, he said that adverse weather conditions, shortage of vehicles and heavy plant and shortage of transport often hampered their efforts. The other challenge he said, was dilapidated veterinary fences that need urgent replacement to assist avert the spread of FMD. BOPA