Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak hits more than 100 farms in Cyprus

NICOSIA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The total number of farms infected with foot-and-mouth disease in Cyprus has risen to 101, the veterinary services department said on Saturday.

According to the Cyprus Mail, new cases were detected at a sheep and goat farm in Dromolaxia-Meneou municipality in southern Cyprus near the coastal city of Larnaca, as well as at a cattle farm and a pig farm in the Nicosia district of central Cyprus.

The outbreak has so far affected 13 cattle farms, 86 sheep and goat farms, and two pig farms. Culling operations and vaccination campaigns are ongoing in the southeast and the Nicosia district in the center of the island.

The current outbreak began on Feb. 20 with the first case reported at a dairy farm in the southeastern Larnaca region and has since spread to multiple areas across the country. Earlier this week, authorities confirmed the first infection in pigs at a farm west of the capital Nicosia, prompting the establishment of a protection zone and movement restrictions in surrounding areas.

Under European Union regulations, all animals at infected farms must be culled. More than 30,000 animals have already been culled in Cyprus. ■