Larnaca, Cyprus. Seven ‘green point’ rubbish tips in the Larnaca district have been closed until further notice amid an ongoing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, district governor Angelos Hadjicharalambous said on Sunday.
Closure pending further assessment
Hadjicharalambous told the Cyprus News Agency that the tips will remain closed “until new data regarding the cases of foot and mouth disease … are evaluated”.
He said the public will be informed through announcements about when the sites will reopen based on developments expected next week, adding that the district government is working “in cooperation and coordination” with municipalities and the central government’s veterinary services department.
He called on the public to “understand the critical situation through which we are going”.
Locations affected and site remaining open
The seven tips operated by the Larnaca district government are located in Aradippou, Dromolaxia, Troulloi, Athienou, Kofinou, Pyrga, and Anaphotia.
An eighth ‘green point’ tip in the town of Larnaca has not been affected by the closure, as it is operated by the Larnaca municipality rather than the district government.
Rationale and related government measures
Hadjicharalambous said the main goal of suspending operations is to protect and ensure as little movement as possible so there is no wider spread of the virus beyond areas where cases have already occurred.
The announcement came as the central government in Nicosia banned the movement of animals and animal feed nationwide as efforts continue to combat the outbreak.
Outbreak centre and response actions
The outbreak is centred in the Larnaca boroughs of Oroklini and Livadia. Around 300 animals from an impacted farm in Livadia are set to be culled, while products from the farm, including meat and milk, have been seized.
About foot-and-mouth disease
According to the United States’ animal and plant health inspection service, foot-and-mouth disease is “a severe, fast-spreading viral disease which primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cows, pigs, sheep, goats and deer”.
The service said foot-and-mouth disease is “not a human health or food safety threat” and “is not related” to hand, foot and mouth disease, which it described as a “common childhood illness caused by a different virus”.
How will the closures and movement restrictions affect your ability to dispose of waste in the Larnaca district?
