ALARM IN DROMOLAXIA - FIRST CASE OF FOOT AND MOUTH - 580 CATTLE KILLED - Filenews 5/3 by Angelos Nikolaou
Cyprus remains in a state of emergency, as foot-and-mouth disease shows its harshest face in livestock farming. Today, a new outbreak of infection was officially confirmed in Dromolaxia, an area that was located exactly at the limit of the 10 km surveillance zone, which causes shock and anger among the breeders, but also intense concern to the competent authorities, about the measures that are not being taken.
According to what Sotiria Georgiadou, spokesperson of the Veterinary Services, told Filenews, the new case was detected in a large cattle unit numbering about 580 animals.
It is noted that the tests in the livestock unit were carried out after the previous cow farmer in Dromolaxia informed the Veterinary Services that he showed symptoms compatible with foot-and-mouth disease. Yesterday, government veterinarians visited the farm, a clinical examination was carried out, and samples were taken for examination in the virology laboratory. The samples reacted positively to foot-and-mouth disease and were confirmed this morning.
It is noted that the previous 22 units that were infected, except for the first one involving cows, consist of sheep and goats. Therefore, about 17,000 animals will be killed so far.
Despite the fact that the animals were vaccinated, the laboratory tests were relentless. As Ms. Georgiadou explained, antibodies were detected in the samples that prove that the animals are infected with the virus itself and are not antibodies derived from vaccination.
"When an animal carries antibodies to the virus, even if it is vaccinated, it continues to secrete the pathogen. Unfortunately, the only solution is the total killing of the entire herd to limit the spread", stressed Ms. Georgiadou.
The situation is described as dramatic. The phrase "we got out" reflects the psychology of people in the industry, who see the efforts of a lifetime being lost. Nervousness is pervasive, with appeals to the public and service staff increasing, as the area is now considered a "contaminated zone".
With the detection of the case in Dromolaxia, a new protection and surveillance zone is automatically created, within a radius of 3 and 10 km respectively, which extends the cycle of restrictions and strangles the economic activity of the area.
The seriousness of the situation led to an emergency teleconference with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health last day.
The Veterinary Services presented the detailed situation, focusing on the fact that only infected animals found in infected herds are killed, but the answer of the Europeans is unequivocal.
Today, the Minister of Agriculture, Maria Panagiotou, is expected to immediately inform the Council of Ministers, submitting a comprehensive support plan for the affected livestock farmers.
The slaughter of the 580 cattle is a huge blow, not only for the owner of the unit but also for domestic production. The authorities are making a dramatic appeal for strict adherence to biosecurity measures, as the spread of the virus seems to be spreading throughout the province of Larnaca.
