FOOT AND MOUTH - NEW CASES IN DROMOLAXIA AND GERI - 70 LIVESTOCK UNITS NOW INFECTED - Filenews 9/4 by Angelos Nikolaou
The epidemiological crisis affecting livestock farming is in full swing, as the Veterinary Services confirmed today the detection of four new cases of foot-and-mouth disease. The spread of the virus remains within the already demarcated infected zones, however the increase in the total number of affected units is of great concern to the industry.
According to the official information, the new cases concern exclusively sheep and goat units. Specifically, two cases were detected in the area of Dromolaxia - Meneou and two more cases were detected in Geri.
With the addition of these cases, the total number of infected units nationwide now stands at 70, which demonstrates the persistence of the disease despite strict biosecurity measures. Of these, 59 cases are in the province of Larnaca and the remaining 11 in the province of Nicosia.
In the climate of concern, a crack of optimism is offered by the laboratory results from the rest of the provinces of Cyprus. All tests carried out outside the known outbreaks are negative, suggesting that, for the time being, the spread remains controlled and limited to the designated surveillance zones.
The shield against the virus is being built intensively, although the speeds vary depending on the type of livestock. The latest data for the second phase of vaccination show 65.35% in cattle and 38.75% in sheep and goats. Vaccinations of pigs within infected zones reached 73% in all units.
The authorities are now focusing on accelerating vaccinations in sheep and goats, where the rate remains lower than for other species, due to the large number of animals and the complexity of the process.
To mitigate the economic impact, the state continues the flow of compensation. In addition to the payment of money for the quantities of milk destroyed in the contaminated units, the payment of compensation for the feed deemed unsuitable and destroyed has already begun.
The Veterinary Services once again appeal to livestock farmers to faithfully observe the hygiene measures and limit movements to the absolutely necessary.
