Nicosia, Cyprus. Veterinary services spokeswoman Sotiria Gregoriadou urged livestock farmers on Saturday to comply with foot-and-mouth disease protocols as authorities continue efforts to eliminate the virus from the island. She said the number of affected farms remains at 38 but warned the situation could change if restrictions are ignored.
Current outbreak status
Speaking at a media briefing, Gregoriadou described the number of affected farms as encouraging while stressing that non-compliance could undermine containment efforts.
Cooperation concerns and reported incidents
Gregoriadou said a lack of cooperation from some farmers has obstructed veterinary teams conducting inspections and culling operations. She added that several officials had been injured during confrontations while performing their duties, and said at least two have filed police complaints following incidents involving violent behaviour.
Culling, testing and vaccination
Authorities have so far culled around 14,000 sheep and goats and about 1,100 cattle, with a further 10,000 animals expected to be destroyed as part of the response. Veterinary services continue to collect samples for laboratory testing, while a vaccination campaign is progressing across livestock units.
Gregoriadou said vaccinations have reached 73 per cent of cattle farms and about 35 per cent of sheep and goat holdings.
Support and compensation measures
Gregoriadou outlined steps being taken to support farmers affected by the crisis, including an advisory committee on compensation established on March 5 that has already met and will prepare individual files for each livestock producer to determine financial support. As an initial measure, the government plans to introduce compensation of up to 50,000 euros for farmers whose animals have been lost.
How will the measures outlined by veterinary services affect your approach to complying with disease-control protocols?
