NEWS RELEASE
Date: 6 August 2007
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Further case of Foot and Mouth Disease suspected in Protection Zone
As part of their surveillance activity within the larger Protection Zone in Surrey, Animal Health have identified a further herd of cattle which have clinical signs of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Debby Reynolds, Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), has therefore ordered their slaughter on suspicion of FMD. Animal Health staff are on site and the cull of the animals will begin as soon as practicable. Samples have been taken to the laboratory for testing to confirm disease.
CVO Debby Reynolds said:
“The intensive work of Animal Health has meant that we have been able to rapidly identify this suspect case and take appropriate action swiftly. I continue to urge all animal keepers to be vigilant for signs of disease and practice strict biosecurity.”
Notes to editors
1. The current Protection and Surveillance Zones remain. The exact details of these measures can be found on the Defra website at: www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/. Disease surveillance is ongoing.
2. The Defra public helpline is currently operating from 6am-10pm. The public should call: 08459 335577.
(For current Helpline hours please see "Contacting Defra")
3. Advice from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) is that foot and mouth disease is not a public health threat.
4. FMD is a disease of cattle and very few human cases have ever been recorded even though the disease is endemic in animals in many parts of the world including Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. Foot and mouth disease only crosses the species barrier from cattle to human with very great difficulty. The last human case reported in Britain occurred in 1966. The disease in humans, in the very rare cases that have occurred, is mild, short-lived and requires no medical treatment.
End
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Page published: 6 August 2007 21:20
Page last modified: 15 August 2007 18:00