UK: New BSE progress report published

The latest BSE Progress Report published today shows that the epidemic of BSE in the UK continues to decline in line with predictions. The report outlines the measures which have been taken to protect public health since December 1999. It summarises the results of action to enforce existing public health measures. An update on the number of cases of vCJD is included. There is also a section on the protection of animal health which covers controls on animal feed. The epidemiology section shows that the epidemic of BSE in the UK continues to decline. A continued improvement is expected for the future. The report shows that 62.6% of UK herds with adult breeding cattle have never had a case of BSE, including 84% of beef suckler herds. Reported incidence also shows that herds with more than four cases of BSE account for 74.6% of all BSE cases, but represent only 11.9% of all herds. The section on the European perspective reports the progress made on lifting the beef export ban and new SRM controls. It also covers the Commission's latest proposal for a regulation to control and prevent the animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.