Lapathos, Cyprus. The European Commission said it will provide 500,000 foot-and-mouth disease vaccines from the European antigen bank to the Turkish Cypriot community. The move follows a December outbreak in the village of Lapathos.
Vaccine deployment and containment plan
The Commission said the vaccines will be administered in the coming weeks with the aim of preventing further spread of the disease. It added that all susceptible animals are scheduled to be vaccinated as part of a comprehensive containment and prevention strategy.
Measures taken since December
The Commission said stakeholders in the Turkish Cypriot community have taken measures including quarantine, restrictions on animal movement, disinfection protocols and strict biosecurity measures.
Ongoing cooperation
The Commission said it will continue to work closely with local stakeholders to strengthen preparedness, response capacity and biosecurity measures, aiming to protect animal health and avoid further outbreaks. It added that the support builds on the EU’s long-standing cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot community in animal health and disease prevention to enable a rapid and coordinated response to emerging risks.
About the disease
Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock affecting cattle, swine, sheep and goats.
How do you think the vaccination campaign will affect efforts to prevent further outbreaks?
