Pretoria - The Gravelotte area in Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, Limpopo, has been declared free of Foot and Mouth disease.
In August last year, a dairy farm in the area had the first outbreak of the disease.
"The provincial Department of Agriculture wishes to inform all concerned that the Gravelotte area ... is free of Foot and Mouth disease as from 10 January 2011," Limpopo agriculture spokesperson, Kenny Mathivha, said.
Mathivha said the report of the first suspected outbreak was initially sent by a private veterinarian, who had inspected a herd following a complaint of lameness in the animals.
A departmental vet also went to the farm to investigate. Tissue and blood samples were taken to Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in August last year, and it was later confirmed that there indeed was an outbreak of the disease.
"The department wishes to thank all the people of Limpopo for their cooperation during the inconveniences of roadblocks and restrictions. The Joint Operations team of various units worked tirelessly to contain and control the disease," Mathivha said.
