Foot-and-mouth disease: Belgium blocks nine farms

The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) announced on Wednesday that nine farms in Belgium have been placed under precautionary quarantine following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the German state of Brandenburg.
Initially, 16 farms were flagged on Tuesday, but FASFC spokeswoman Hélène Bonte clarified: "Only nine farms have finally received animals from the high-risk area in Germany. These farms have a total of 228 cattle, exceeding the earlier estimate of 150 animals."
The outbreak in Märkisch-Oderland, Brandenburg, was the first in Germany since 1988 and was detected on a single farm earlier this month involving three water buffaloes. The source of the infection is being investigated and control and protection measures are being implemented by the German authorities.
The incubation period has passed, so any infected animals would now show signs of illness
The Belgian authorities are maintaining increased vigilance. Inspectors will visit all affected farms in the coming days. On five farms that received animals before mid-December, inspections will focus solely on symptoms. "The incubation period has passed, so any infected animals would now show signs of illness," said Bonte. If symptoms are observed, samples will be taken for analysis.
At the remaining four farms, samples will be taken regardless of visible symptoms, with results expected within 48 hours. If the tests come back negative, these farms can quickly resume normal operations.
Highly contagious
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer. Belgium has been free of the disease since the 1970s. While preventive vaccination was routine in the EU until 1991, it has since been banned and prevention now relies on strict biosecurity measures. In the event of an outbreak, whole herds are culled on affected farms to prevent further spread, as there is no treatment available.
© DPA
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