/ 12 September 2007

New British foot-and-mouth case confirmed

Foot-and-mouth disease has struck a new cattle farm in southern England, the government said on Wednesday, prompting the European Union to suspend a decision to lift its ban on British meat exports. The Agriculture Ministry said a surveillance zone of more than 10km had been placed around the farm in Egham, Surrey, about 50km from the scene of the last confirmed outbreak.

Foot-and-mouth disease has struck a new cattle farm in southern England, the government said on Wednesday, prompting the European Union to suspend a decision to lift its ban on British meat exports.

The Agriculture Ministry said a surveillance zone of more than 10km had been placed around the farm in Egham, Surrey, about 50km from the scene of the last confirmed outbreak in August. Veterinary authorities ordered an immediate cull of the herd in question.

”On the basis of these initial laboratory results and clinical symptoms, Debby Reynolds, UK chief veterinary officer, has confirmed foot-and-mouth disease,” the ministry said in a statement. It imposed an immediate ban on the movement of livestock in England, Scotland and Wales.

The new case came less than 24 hours after EU veterinary experts had agreed to declare Britain free of foot and mouth from November 9 and lift an export ban on meat, dairy products and live animals — imposed after the disease was found on two farms in Surrey in July and August.

Britain suffered a crippling outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 when more than six million animals had to be culled. The outbreak hit agriculture and tourism hard, costing the economy an estimated £8,5-billion.

Foot and mouth is a highly contagious disease which spreads easily on the wind. It can cause animals to foam at the mouth and collapse, and has an incubation period of up to three weeks.

”We’re back to square one essentially. All farmers have to be very vigilant, keep their guard up and keep examining their stock,” said Andy Biggs, senior vice-president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Cobra on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the outbreak. — Reuters