New foot-and-mouth case confirmed

09/12/2007

BBC NEWS | September 12, 2007


A new case of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in Surrey, the government has said.

Chief veterinary officer Dr Debby Reynolds confirmed the outbreak near Milton Park Farm, near Egham, where a 10km control zone has been set up.

A national movement ban has been put in place to prevent the disease spreading, and cattle are being culled.

Meanwhile, vets in Scotland have been sent to investigate a sick sheep at an agricultural centre in Lanarkshire.

A single sheep is being tested as a precautionary measure after showing some symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease.

Maps showing location of suspected outbreak

The latest outbreak in Surrey comes just days after the government declared the county to be free of foot-and-mouth.

The farm is just 10 miles from an animal research site in Pirbright, which was the centre of an outbreak in August.

The surveillance zone around the original outbreak was lifted only at midday on Saturday.

Surrey County Council said the area at the centre of the outbreak is grazing land attached to Milton Park farm, while the animals on the land are owned by Hardwick Park farm.

Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, told BBC News 24 it was a "disaster" for British agriculture and the industry "will be absolutely devastated".

"I think this will be a catastrophic body blow for the industry who worked so hard to eradicate the previous outbreak," he said.

It's just the worst news that farmers could possibly have expected or wanted
Peter Ainsworth, shadow environment secretary

Lanarkshire sheep tested

In a statement, agriculture ministry Defra said: "On the basis of these initial laboratory results and clinical symptoms Debby Reynolds, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, has confirmed foot-and-mouth disease.

"A movement ban of cattle, sheep, pigs and other ruminants has now been imposed in England and parallel arrangements are being made by the Scottish and Welsh administrations."

Dr Reynolds said the control zone was put in place swiftly because "containment and eradication of foot-and-mouth is our top priority".

She urged farmers to remain vigilant and report any suspicions.

Emergency meeting

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "This is news that no one wanted to hear, least of all the farming industry.

"The immediate establishment of both a protection zone, with footpaths closed within it, and a national animal movement ban shows our determination to contain and eradicate this latest outbreak.

"Having spoken this morning to farming industry representatives, I know they share this view and the utmost vigilance is now needed from everyone."

Shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth criticised the government's initial response and said it was the "worst news" for farmers.

"As a precautionary measure, because you can't take risks with foot-and-mouth, there should have been a national movement ban put in place straightaway," he said.

"It's just the worst news that farmers could possibly have expected or wanted."

Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne said: "It is crucial to quickly identify whether this strain of the virus was being worked on at Pirbright or matches the previous outbreak, and whether biosecurity at the labs has failed again."

The EU has halted plans to lift the export ban on livestock products from the area around the original outbreak. Live animals and meat products can be exported from outside the surveillance zone around it, with additional veterinary supervision and certification.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee.

Drains blamed

The control zone was set up around the suspected outbreak at 0935 BST.

Parts of the Windsor Castle estate fall within the zone, and a number of precautionary measures have been introduced - gates have been closed, disinfectant pads established, and the deer park closed.

All riding permits and the Guards polo matches in Windsor Great Park have been suspended and dogs will have to be kept on a lead.

Earlier in the summer, two farms tested positive for the disease.

Foot-and-mouth was confirmed in a herd of cattle at Woolford Farm in Surrey on 3 August.

A second case, at a farm nearby, was confirmed on 7 August. The all-clear was later given.

A report into the previous outbreak found it was probably caused by leaking drains, heavy rain and building work at the Pirbright site, four miles from where the disease was originally found.

But the Health and Safety Executive said it was not clear which of the two labs which share the site - Merial, a private pharmaceutical company, and the Institute of Animal Health (IAH) - were responsible.

A UK-wide movement ban on live animals put in place after that outbreak had been lifted, although a 5km (3 mile) biosecurity zone around the Pirbright site is still in place, according to the Defra website.