25 September 2026: Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Namibia
Updated 30 September 2026
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Purpose
To inform you that, due to a recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Namibia, consignments from Namibia of fresh meat of bovine, ovine and caprine animals are suspended. Animal by-products and casings from FMD-susceptible animals that have not undergone a form of risk-mitigating treatment for FMD should continue be held.
Background
Namibia notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle, reported through the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS). The outbreak occurred near Namibia’s southern border with South Africa, in an area from which imports of fresh meat of certain FMD-susceptible species were permitted (see territory code NA-1 in the ‘fresh meat of ungulates’ list).
OVS note 2026/45 was issued on 24 September 2026, notifying of the FMD outbreak and requesting that consignments of fresh meat of FMD-susceptible animals and animal by-products derived from those species be held.
Defra has today (25 September 2026) updated its ‘fresh meat of ungulates’ listing to restrict commercial imports of fresh bovine meat and fresh ovine and caprine meat from the parts of Namibia covered by territory code ‘NA-1’ through removal of the BOV and OVI certificates.
Namibia’s listings for imports of fresh meat of farmed non-domestic ruminants (RUF) and wild non-domestic ruminants (RUW) have also been removed from the ‘fresh meat of ungulates’ list. However, Namibia does not have approved residue control plans for farmed and wild game, meaning imports of these commodities for human consumption were not permitted in any event.
Safeguard measures will shortly be published restricting imports from Namibia of animal casings and untreated wool and hair derived from FMD-susceptible species, while Defra is also assessing the need for further import restrictions on animal by-products. A separate OVS note will be issued when these restrictions are implemented. In the meantime, any consignments from Namibia of casings, untreated wool and hair and other animal by-products derived from the above-mentioned species should continue to be held.
Please note that bovine, ovine and caprine meat products from Namibia must be subjected to treatment ‘B’ in accordance with Annex II, Part 4 of Assimilated Decision 2007/777, which mitigates FMD virus. As a result, consignments of these products do not need to be held.
Contact point for enquiries
Email: imports@apha.gov.uk
Imports and EU Trade Team