The South African Department of Agriculture (DoA) reported several new positive cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle in the KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces in April 2025. Following the announcement of the FMD outbreak, China suspended imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products from South Africa.
Previously exporters and importers of live animals and genetic materials only required a permit, but a new directive requires prior authorization from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development’s Animal Production Directorate before applying for the permit.
Attaché Report (GAIN)

Nicaragua: Nicaragua Reports Screwworm Outbreak

Nicaragua reported an outbreak of New World screwworm to the World Organization for Animal Health following confirmation of a sample collected on March 12, 2024. Nicaragua is the largest cattle producer in Central America and last detected screwworm in 1996.
South Africa is currently facing the worst outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) since 2017 with seven of the nine provinces in the country reporting outbreaks.