Cape Town, Sep 2 : South Africa's Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen voiced concern about the country's spreading foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

"At present, there are 274 unresolved outbreaks across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Free State, North West, and Mpumalanga provinces. Positive cases have been confirmed in all cattle farming systems, including commercial beef herds, animal breeding, feedlots, dairy cattle, and communal herds," Steenhuisen said at a media briefing in Cape Town, the country's legislative capital on Monday.

Steenhuisen urged farmers to comply with regulations aimed at curbing the disease.

"Reports of farmers moving cattle showing clinical signs of the disease, or treating them privately without reporting, are deeply concerning and irresponsible. These actions not only contravene legal directives but risk entrenching FMD as endemic in South Africa," said the minister.

While last year's outbreak in the Eastern Cape has been contained and the Western and Northern Cape remain disease-free, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal continue to face new cases under close monitoring, Xinhua news agency reported.

South Africa launched its FMD vaccination campaign in late June, ordering more than 900,000 doses worth about 70 million rand (about $3.97 million).

So far, around 500,000 have been administered in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, North West, and Free State provinces. With an additional 400,000 doses delivered last week, the campaign will now target outbreaks in Free State, Mpumalanga, North West, and Gauteng.

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease in cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, pigs, and sheep, characterised by blisters and erosions in the mouth, feet, and teats, which severely impacts meat and milk production. It is not a public health risk to humans, though it is often confused with the benign childhood illness hand, foot, and mouth disease. The virus spreads rapidly through contact and air, leading to significant economic losses due to decreased productivity and trade restrictions.

/IANS