Eighth case of British foot and mouth Disease
Pastor Dale Morgan
Eighth case of British foot and mouth Disease*
From correspondents in London
October 01, 2007 05:08am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
BRITISH officials overnight confirmed an eighth case of foot and mouth
disease since the outbreak began last month, within a protection zone in
the southern English county of Surrey.
"Foot and mouth disease (FMD) has now been confirmed at the premises in
Surrey where slaughter on suspicion was announced yesterday," the
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.
The ministry said that cattle on four nearby premises had been exposed
to the highly infectious disease on such a level that they were likely
to develop foot and mouth, and were therefore being culled.
"This action is regrettable but necessary in order to eradicate disease
in this area as quickly as possible," it said.
No trace of foot and mouth has been detected outside Surrey, although
protection zones around the infected premises there remain in place.
About 1800 animals have been culled so far as Britain battles to contain
the disease, and avoid a repeat of the disastrous 2001 outbreak.
That crisis saw up to 10 million animals culled and cost the British
economy about Ł8 billion ($18.49 billion).