Foot-and-mouth disease has now spread to Scotland and Northern Ireland bringing the total of now confirmed cases to 30. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food officials are admitting that there is little hope in containing the virus.
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MAFF has revealed the first confirmed cases in Scotland, at a farm near Lockerbie, and one in Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway. A further four cases in Warwickshire, Essex, Cumbria, Carlisle have also been identified since yesterday.
The UK’s chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore expected more cases to be confirmed from Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, Dumfries, Carlisle and Northern Ireland during today.
Agriculture Minister Nick Brown has said all confirmed cases had been linked to the original source of the outbreak in Northumberland. Brown added there was no evidence of anything being spread since restrictions on the movement of livestock had been put in place.
The disease may also have spread to the Irish Republic. Sheep suspected of being infected with the disease were taken to an abattoir in Roscommon from a farm in Northern Ireland.
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By GlobalDataIn mainland Europe, many countries have introduced preventive measures against the disease spreading. France has announced that 30,000 sheep, which came into contact with British animals, are to be destroyed. German inspectors slaughtered 1,200 animals and disinfected two sites on Wednesday as a precautionary measure but tests carried out on suspected sheep with the disease has so far revealed no infection. Portugal has ordered that travellers from the UK clean their shoes on a special mat on arrival, while Spain has instituted its first nationwide measures, banning the ‘concentration’ of cattle, sheep, pigs and horses. Movement of goats and sheep have also been banned.
A risk assessment is being carried out by MAFF officials to decide whether it is necessary to slaughter wild animals such as foxes and deer to prevent the spread of the disease.
As the economic impact of the disease hits home the Prime Minister Tony Blair has ruled out compensation for the food industry.
“It’s always been the case traditionally that governments have not committed themselves to consequential losses, because they can be vast sums of money and where do you draw the line?” said Mr Blair. “We are acutely aware of the problems of people working in the food industry at the moment, and it’s something we are discussing with the representatives of the industry.”
The National Farmers Union has estimated that if the foot and mouth outbreak is not brought under control in three months, the cost to the farming and food industry will be three quarters of a billion pounds.
just-food.com published a feature on foot and mouth. To read it, click here.
