Foot-and-mouth disease detected in Slovakia
© Tim Scrivener An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been reported in Slovakia, with three separate cases confirmed near the border with Hungary.
The affected premises house cattle, prompting concerns over the potential spread of the virus to neighbouring countries.
The Slovakian report follows an earlier outbreak in Hungary on 7 March, when FMD was confirmed on a dairy farm with 1,400 cattle.
As a result, Hungary imposed movement restrictions and other control measures to prevent the virus from spreading further, and the UK introduced an import ban on animal and dairy products from both Slovakia and Hungary.
Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s chief veterinary officer, has urged farmers to remain vigilant, highlighting the risk posed by the outbreak.
“We have seen a disturbing number of foot and mouth cases on the Continent, and we need to stay on high alert to the risk of disease incursion – as a government, at the border, and on our farms,” she said.
FMD outbreaks are not confined to Slovakia and Hungary this year.
In January, Germany also reported an FMD case in a herd of water buffalo in Brandenburg, confirming three cases at an organic farm.
Daniel Zeichner, the Defra farming minister, called the outbreak in a third European country “a serious concern” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to taking necessary measures to prevent further spread.
“Ensuring the safety of our livestock sector and protecting our farmers will always be a top priority,” he said.
The FMD virus leads to painful blisters inside the mouths and under the hooves of affected animals.
It can cause lameness and difficulties in feeding, posing a severe threat to livestock.
FMD in the UK
The UK has faced significant FMD outbreaks in the past, notably in 2001 and 2007.
The 2001 outbreak resulted in more than six million animals being slaughtered at a total cost of £8bn to the public and private sectors.
In response, the UK implemented strict biosecurity measures, including a ban on feeding animals with catering waste and increased monitoring of global outbreaks.
The UK government continues to work closely with authorities to monitor disease threats and take prompt action as needed to protect the agricultural industry.
Farmers are legally obliged to inform the Animal and Plant Health Agency if they suspect a case of FMD.