British authorities probe new farms for spread of foot and mouth
Pastor Dale Morgan
British authorities probe new farms for spread of foot and mouth*
LONDON (AFP) - - Officials cordoned off two new farms on Tuesday to
investigate for foot and mouth disease, renewing concern that an
existing outbreak may have spread.
The government ordered three-kilometre (1.8-mile) areas called temporary
control zones to be set up around the farms in the neighbouring counties
of Kent and Surrey.
"Both are precautionary measures following inconclusive assessments of
clinical symptoms by animal health veterinary staff," the Department for
the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said in a statement.
The farms are outside the existing exclusion zone, which was put in
place after the first case of foot and mouth disease in Britain since
2001 was confirmed near Guildford in Surrey just over 10 days ago.
A second case on a neighbouring farm was confirmed shortly after but two
more farms where the disease was suspected were later given the
all-clear, raising hopes the outbreak had been successfully contained.
Farmer Stephen Furnival told reporters he had raised the alarm Tuesday
at his property in Kent's Romney Marsh area after noticing "unusual
lesions" on the muzzles of his calves.
"I felt it was prudent to notify the authorities immediately. Samples
will be taken and sent away for testing. All we can do now is wait and
get the results, which we sincerely hope will be negative."
Chris Older, from the National Farmers' Union in Kent, said: "This is an
example of a farmer doing exactly the right thing -- keeping a careful
eye on his livestock and calling in the experts as soon as he noticed
something was wrong."
Britain's chief vet Debby Reynolds said containing and eradicating foot
and mouth was a priority at what was now a key time in the battle
against the disease.
"At this stage the disease has not been confirmed (at the new farms),
laboratory results will follow. We are in a crucial week for vigilance
and planning next steps," she said.
The government imposed an immediate ban on the movement of cattle, pigs
and sheep as well as no-go areas around the affected farms after the
first cases were discovered on August 3.
DEFRA said in its statement Tuesday that the ban would remain in place
and that the new farms with control zones would not be allowed to obtain
licenses to move dead animals or live animals for slaughter.
Nearly 600 animals on three farms have already been slaughtered, some as
a precaution due to suspected "dangerous contact" with infected beasts.
Public health officials are investigating whether the virus may have
leaked from an animal disease research centre near the affected farms
because the strain of the virus was identical to that used there recently.
The site, at Pirbright, houses the government-run Institute for Animal
Health and the vaccine producer Merial Animal Health Limited, which is
jointly run by US drugs company Merck and Co. Inc. and France's
Sanofi-Aventis SA.
Both laboratories have denied any breach in their biosecurity procedures.
The European Union is set to hold a meeting of its veterinary expert
group on August 23 to consider the possibility of easing its export ban
on British meat and livestock, currently imposed till at least August 25.
British farmers fear a repeat of the costly 2001 foot and mouth
outbreak, which also evoked an EU export ban and cost the national
economy about eight billion pounds while devastating the agriculture sector.
Between 6.5 million and 10 million animals were slaughtered and later
burnt on huge funeral pyres.