An outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) was confirmed in the UK yesterday night, Friday 3 August. The affected cattle farm is located near Guildford in Surrey. Find below the press release issued last night by the UK Government.

Main measures taken

• Declaration of a protection zone (3 km) and of a surveillance zone (10 km) around the outbreak. According to EU legislation on the control of FMD, the main measures to be taken in such zones are represented by an initial complete ban of movement of susceptible animals. Certain derogations to such ban are provided after some time has passed from the report of the outbreak, due to the loss of infectivity of the animals, and are modulated depending on the zones. Measures also include treatment of products deriving from susceptible animals, such as heat treatment or maturation of meat and pasteurization of milk.
• Declaration of a restricted zone (whole England), where all movements of susceptible animals are banned. Similar measures have been taken by Scotland and Wales.
• Biosecurity measures in place in all farms.
• Restriction of animal gatherings.
• Controls on movements for carcasses and controls on movements/treatment of manure also apply.
• A specific licence has been issued in order to allow movements of cows along a public highway from one part of the premises to another part of the same premises for milking purposes only (with all excreta of animals having to be removed from the highway right after the movement).

Map

See the web link bellow.

Origin of the outbreak

No information is available so far on the origin of the outbreak. However, it has to be noted that the outbreak has been detected within less than 10 km from the laboratory of Pirbright, Community Reference Laboratory for FMD (which is therefore within the surveillance zone). A laboratory accident cannot therefore be excluded at this stage.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Note that FMD susceptible species are represented by bovine, ovine, caprine and swine animals. As you know, any threat to human health is normally posed. The disease in humans has been extremely rarely in the past and consequences were very mild.

At the following link you can find a webpage by DEFRA with a questions-and-answers document on FMD: FAQ FMD

Press release DEFRA-UK

Foot and Mouth Disease confirmed in cattle, in Surrey

Following an investigation of suspected vesicular disease by Animal Health on a holding near Guildford in Surrey, laboratory results have this evening indicated that the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus is present in samples from cattle on the premises.

On the basis of the initial laboratory results Debby Reynolds, UK Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed Foot and Mouth Disease. In accordance with the legislation and contingency planning arrangements all the cattle on the premises will 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.

Notes to editors

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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
5. 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.

Further information will follow when available, including information on the serotype involved, which seems to be serotype "O".

Zdroj: UECBV