Following an investigation of suspected vesicular disease by Animal
Health on a holding near Guildford in Surrey, laboratory results on
Friday evening, 3 August indicated the presence of the Foot and Mouth
Disease (FMD) virus in samples from cattle on the premises.
On the basis of the initial laboratory results Debby Reynolds, UK
Chief Veterinary Officer confirmed Foot and Mouth Disease. In
accordance with the legislation and contingency planning arrangements
all the cattle on the premises would be culled. A Protection Zone of
three kilometres radius and a Surveillance Zone of 10 kilometres has
been placed around the premises, and a GB wide national movement ban of
all ruminants and pigs has been imposed.
Nationally no animal movements are allowed except under licence,
controls are in place on movement of animal carcasses, animal
gatherings, shearing and dipping are restricted, and all farms must
increase levels of biosecurity. In both the Protection and
Surveillance Zones, there will be requirements for increased levels of
biosecurity on farms, movement controls, controls on transportation of
dung/manure and treatment of animal products to ensure destruction of
the FMD virus.
The farm itself has been under restrictions since late on Thursday
evening when symptoms were reported to the local Animal Health office.
A 1km temporary restriction zone was placed around the premises earlier
today whilst investigations and testing were completed, in line with
domestic and EU legislation.
The European Commission has been informed.
Further information
- Advice from the Health Protection
Agency (HPA) is that foot and mouth disease is not a direct public
health threat. The Food Standards Agency considers that foot and mouth
disease has no implications for the human food chain.
- Foot
and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a disease of cattle and very few human cases
have ever been recorded even though the disease is endemic in animals
in many parts of the world including Asia, Africa, the Middle East and
South America. Foot and mouth disease only crosses the species barrier
from cattle to human with very great difficulty. The last human case
reported in Britain occurred in 1966. The disease in humans, in the
very rare cases that have occurred, is mild, short-lived and requires
no medical treatment.
- The movement of animals, animal
products, feed and bedding in the zones will be prohibited, except
under license. Products from animals in these zones will be subject to
treatment to ensure destruction of the FMD virus. This is an animal
health measure rather than a public health measure. Such treatments
include the pasteurisation of milk (normal process for most milk
produced in the UK), heat treatment or de-boning and maturation of meat
in certain circumstances.
- The exact details on the measures that apply in Protection and Surveillance Zones can be found on the Defra website at: www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/about/index.htm
-
Export health certificates for animals and animal products will be
withdrawn. Exports from GB of susceptible animals during the risk
period will be identified and notified to the importing countries.
Links
