Cyprus remains in a state of emergency as foot-and-mouth disease continues to severely impact livestock farming. A new outbreak was officially confirmed in Dromolaxia, a region located just at the edge of the 10km surveillance zone, raising concerns among farmers and authorities.
The outbreak, which affects a large cattle unit with around 580 animals, follows 22 previous cases, most of which involved sheep and goats. So far, about 17,000 animals have been culled in an effort to contain the spread.
Despite the animals being vaccinated, laboratory tests showed that the animals had been infected by the virus itself, not the antibodies produced by the vaccine. This has led to a directive for the culling of the entire herd to stop further contamination.
The situation is described as dramatic, with farmers seeing the loss of their livestock as the collapse of years of hard work. The atmosphere is tense, with increasing calls for stricter measures from both the public and the relevant authorities.
In response, new protection and surveillance zones have been established around the Dromolaxia area, with a 3km radius for protection and a 10km radius for monitoring. These measures are severely restricting economic activity in the area.
An emergency video conference was held with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health, where the Veterinary Services presented an in-depth overview of the situation. They emphasized that only infected animals from infected herds will be culled.
Minister of Agriculture Maria Panayiotou is expected to brief the Cabinet today and will present a detailed support plan for affected farmers.
The culling of 580 cattle is a significant blow, not just to the farm owners but also to the country’s domestic production. Authorities are urgently calling for strict adherence to biosecurity measures, as the virus appears to be spreading throughout the Larnaca district.
