Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus Veterinary Services said on Friday that eight new cases of foot-and-mouth disease were identified in Livadia and one in Dromolaxia, with more than 7,000 animals culled since the outbreak began.
New cases within infected zone
Speaking at a press conference, Veterinary Services spokesperson Sotiria Georgiadou said the new cases involve eight sheep and goat units in Livadia and one in Dromolaxia, all within the three-kilometre infected zone.
She added that infected cattle were also found at an illegal site in Livadia, near the original outbreak area within the three-kilometre contaminated zone.
Investigation into illegal site
Authorities are currently culling the animals at the site, and Georgiadou said the case will be investigated at all levels.
“Complaints will follow these investigations,” she said, adding that the new cases were expected given the region’s epidemiological conditions.
“This does not surprise us; the entire area is now an epidemiological unit because of the proximity of livestock farms and the local topography,” she said.
EU rules cited on mandatory culling
Georgiadou said culling animals in infected units is mandatory under European Union law and not a decision taken by Cypriot authorities.
“Each case concerns a farm, and every farm contains multiple animals,” she said during a phone call on Friday. “It is similar to Covid in the sense that once it spreads, it spreads widely. If even one animal is infected, the entire herd must be culled.”
She said the Veterinary Services and the agriculture ministry had attempted to limit culling to animals that tested positive by contacting the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, but their request was rejected.
According to Georgiadou, EU legislation on foot-and-mouth disease allows no exceptions and requires the culling of the entire herd if a single animal tests positive.
What measures do you think should be prioritised to prevent further spread of foot-and-mouth disease in affected areas?
