South African President announces declaring the foot and mouth disease outbreak as a "national disaster"

South African President Ramaphosa announced in Cape Town, the legislative capital, on the 12th that South Africa has declared the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak a "national disaster" and will mobilize all necessary forces to address the epidemic. Ramaphosa said in his State of the Nation address at the Cape Town City Hall that the current epidemic could trigger export bans, trade restrictions, and mass livestock deaths, causing damage to the South African economy. He stated that the country will focus on coordinating vaccine procurement to ensure access to vaccines suitable for the specific virus strains within South Africa and vaccinate the country's 14 million cattle.