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Guidance

29 September 2026: Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Namibia

Updated 30 September 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-veterinary-surgeon-ovs-notes/29-september-2026-outbreak-of-foot-and-mouth-disease-in-namibia

OVS note number:2026/47

Date: 29 September 2026

Purpose

To inform you that, following a recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Namibia, safeguard declarations have now been published to restrict imports from Namibia of the following commodities derived from FMD-susceptible species:

  • untreated wool and hair
  • casings derived from FMD-susceptible species.

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 (ABPs) derived from those species be held.

Defra amended its fresh meat of ungulates country listing on 25 September 2026 to temporarily suspend imports of fresh meat of bovine, ovine, and caprine animals (including chilled and frozen) from the whole territory of Namibia (see OVS note 2026/46). This means that imports of fresh meat of these species from Namibia are suspended, regardless of production or certification date.

OVS note 2026/46 also requested that consignments from Namibia of casings and untreated wool and hair derived from FMD-susceptible species be held while safeguard measures were implemented to temporarily suspend imports of these commodities.

Since that note, the existing TARP safeguard declarations prohibiting imports of casings and untreated wool and hair from countries (or zones within countries) not recognised by WOAH as free of FMD have been updated to suspend imports from Namibia. These restrictions are given effect in amendment declarations published here, under the following titles:

Untreated wool and hair

  • Amendment to declaration of special measures: importation of untreated wool and hair from Namibia (England)
  • Amendment to declaration of special measures: importation of untreated wool and hair from Namibia (Wales)
  • Foot and mouth disease - importation of untreated wool and hair of susceptible animals for certain third countries and territories: declaration of special measures (Scotland)

Casings

  • Amendment to declaration of special measures: importation of animal casings from susceptible animals from Namibia (England)
  • Amendment to declaration of special measures: importation of animal casings from susceptible animals from Namibia (Wales)
  • Foot and mouth disease - importation of animal casings from foot and mouth disease susceptible animals from certain third countries and territories: declaration of special measures (Scotland)

The restrictions given effect through these amendment declarations apply from 30 September 2026 and will continue to apply until they are revoked or amended.

Please note that Defra is continuing to assess the need for further import restrictions on ABPs from Namibia and will issue a further OVS note if additional restrictions are implemented. In the interim, consignments from Namibia of ABPs derived from FMD-susceptible animals should continue to be held.

Contact point for enquiries

Email: imports@apha.gov.uk

Imports and EU Trade Team

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