UK: Foot-and-mouth

[unpathedhaunt]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

British Officials: Sabotage Not Ruled Out in Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,292517,00.html

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The deliberate release of viral material, possibly in an act of sabotage, may have caused the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, British officials said Wednesday.

The Health and Safety Executive said in a report ordered by Prime Minister Gordon Brown that "release by human movement [of the FMD virus] must be considered a real possibility."

Inspectors all but discounted theories that the virus escaped by air or water from the laboratory complex close to where the outbreak started, although they are continuing to investigate the possibility of equipment failure or a security breach.

? Read the original report in the London Times.

The HSE concluded in the report ? which was sent to Environment Secretary Hilary Benn last night ? that there was "a strong probability" that the virus came from the research center three miles from the first outbreak in a herd of cattle in Surrey.

Benn said that sabotage could not be ruled out.

"The truth is we do not know. That is why further investigations need to take place," he said.

The finding strengthens suspicions raised at the weekend when it was discovered that the strain of virus was one found only in laboratories. Investigators were unable, however, to decide whether the foot-and-mouth contamination escaped from the Institute of Animal Health, the government-funded body that first identified the virus, or Merial, a private company that shares the same site in Pirbright, England.

Further genetic analysis of the virus is being carried out to determine from which of the laboratory units the virus originated.

Any security breach could have been either deliberate or accidental and it was confirmed last night that government scientists have been inspecting allotments close to the first outbreak which are used by Pirbright workers to grow vegetables.

The report was released Tuesday evening, more than six hours after the 48-hour deadline requested by Benn. The reasons for the delay were unclear, despite suggestions that "political and presentational" concerns were a factor.

Should investigators find that biosecurity systems or equipment at IAH were in any way to blame for the outbreak, ministers would face allegations that the failure was caused by years of under-funding.

If Merial is identified as the source of the disease outbreak the firm would face the potential of a multimillion-dollar class action lawsuit for damages by farmers whose businesses have been affected. Both Brown and Benn appeared to point the finger Merial Tuesday night. They both suggested that further investigations would concentrate on equipment at Merial whereas the report that had been made public made no distinction between the company and IAH.

"The work goes on to isolate, contain, control and eradicate the disease," Brown said.

In their preliminary report on the outbreak, the HSE said there were "a number of biosecurity issues" that remained to be addressed at the complex.

"There are various potential routes for accidental or deliberate transfer of material from the site," they wrote. "Release by human movement must also be considered a real possibility. Further investigation . . . is being urgently pursued."

They regarded as unlikely the chances of the virus being blown from one of the laboratory units and then being carried by wind to fields near the village of Normandy where they infected cattle on two farms.

Flooding from a failure of the effluent systems on the research site could not be discounted, but HSE inspectors said that they had been unable to find evidence of mechanical problems. The chance of water getting from Pirbright to the fields at Normandy was regarded as "negligible due to the distance".

"The investigation to date has concentrated on biosecurity issues associated with FMDV strain 01BFS67 as this was the strain associated with the outbreak in farms in the Pirbright vicinity," HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger said.

The investigations concentrated on the actions of the IAH and Merial from July 14-25 as the dates identified by Defra when the escape must have taken place. Both research organizations used the viral strain during that time but whereas IAH employed it only in small scale experiments, Merial was involved in creating "large scale production" of 10,000 liters.

The HSE team of six investigators "found no evidence" of working practices, spills or leaks that could have led to a release of the virus.

 

[hawkeye]

Hell to pay' if 80-mile trip spreads virus

Hell to pay' if 80-mile trip spreads virus

Hell to pay' if 80-mile trip spreads virus
By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 1:47am BST 08/08/2007

Disposal

Farmers warned yesterday that there would be "hell to pay" if the decision to send culled cattle 80 miles for incineration led to the spread of foot and mouth disease.

A further 102 carcasses from the outbreak in Surrey were due to be destroyed at the Wessex Incineration plant near Frome, Somerset, last night.

As farmers voiced alarm over the risks involved in moving the dead animals across four counties, the National Farmers' Union said the decision to transport carcasses from Surrey to Somerset highlighted a lack of incinerators. It called for a network of them to be established to ensure the situation was not repeated.

Last night, a "keep out" message was fixed to the gates of the incineration plant which lies in open countryside near the village of Tytherington.

Patrick Twigger, 41, who owns Monksham Farm in Marston Bigot, Somerset, told The Daily Telegraph: "My pigs are only about 800 metres away from the incinerator.

"I am extremely concerned to say the least. I think it's crazy that these cows have been transported across the country and so close to my farm. If the transporter lorry has a leak or a crash, God knows what will happen.

"After what happened in 2001, I am amazed there isn't a mobile incineration machine which can go straight to the infected farm in Surrey."

James Salmon, who has 350 cattle at a farm in Tytherington, about half a mile from the plant, said: "We have got to hope they have got it right. If there is an outbreak here there will be hell to pay, and hopefully there will be a lot of compensation.

"But if there is not [an outbreak resulting from the transportation] then they will have done the right thing. It is easy to criticise but we will just have to wait and see. We have to be positive."

Ronald Ham, 68, and his wife Jean, 66, who run a farm in Frome, said: "Why in this world would you bring dead cows that have foot and mouth into the Somerset area? If we get one cow with the disease you can kiss goodbye to the whole of my livelihood."

Anthony Gibson, the NFU's director of communications, said: "The Frome issue throws up the need for a network of incinerators capable of dealing with this sort of emergency, which would not mean the animals being transported half way across southern England."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the Somerset plant was chosen because it was the nearest that could handle the amount of activity required and which had the necessary bio-security.

A spokesman said the vehicles were purpose-built. Their tailgates were securely sealed, and they were leak tested before each journey.

 

[Niko]

Possible nre outbreak of foot-and-mouth

Possible nre outbreak of foot-and-mouth

Farmers on alert as new outbreak is suspected outside protection zone

By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor

Published: 10 August 2007



A third suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was feared last night after a 3km temporary control zone was set up around another farm in Surrey * outside the existing surveillance zone.

Tests were being carried amid worries that the disease had spread beyond the previously controlled zone. Deborah Reynolds, chief veterinary officer, refused to confirm a new outbreak, but said: "This is a developing disease situation. The containment and eradication of FMD remains our priority. This is why we have moved swiftly to put in place a temporary control zone while we investigate this development. At this stage disease has not been confirmed and laboratory results will follow."

Ms Reynolds said animals on the farm, thought to be about 15km east of the initial control zone, just west of Dorking, had shown "mild" signs of the disease and that the measures had been put in place as a precaution. She added: "I reiterate my message to animal keepers to practice the highest standards of biosecurity, remain vigilant for disease and report any suspicions quickly."

Hugh Broom, of the National Farmers' Union, said the suspected case was " very worrying" and urged farmers to keep on top of biosecurity. He told BBC News 24: "Farmers in Surrey are taking biosecurity seriously and we would urge them to keep that up ... People are going to be even more apprehensive than they have been throughout the whole of this. It won't come as welcome news if a third case is confirmed."

Earlier yesterday the public laboratories run by the Institute of Animal Health (IAH) at Pirbright were embroiled in a fresh controversy after it was revealed that a contractor who worked at the site is suffering from legionnaires' disease. The Pirbright laboratories, comprising the IAH and privately-run Merial company, are believed to be the most likely source of the outbreak, which has paralysed three farms.

The latest revelation comes as a profound embarrassment for the management of the laboratories, who have gone to great lengths to deny any breaches of health and safety regulations. "They need this like a hole in the head," said a source at Merial.

A report of the independent inquiry into the outbreak of foot and mouth disease will be delivered to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, within days. The report, by Professor Brian Spratt of Imperial College London, is expected to be damning and far-reaching. It will focus on security at the Pirbright laboratories and is almost certain to recommend tougher controls. It is expected to focus on the use of a live virus by Merial in the manufacture of vaccines and the appropriateness of having a site in the middle of a farming area.

The main clue that a breach in security at Pirbright was responsible for the outbreak was the discovery that the same strain of the virus found in the cattle was used by Merial on 16 July for the manufacture of vaccines. It was last found in the countryside in 1967.

In a further development last night, BBC's Newsnight reported that part of the Merial facility was built on an area considered at "substantial risk " of flooding, in breach of guidelines.

The possible case of legionnaires' disease was discovered by a bizarre coincidence. Inspectors from the HSE, which is investigating the foot and mouth outbreak, were working on the site when a team from the separate Health Protection Agency visited the Pirbright laboratories to check water sources which could harbour the disease. "They are completely unrelated, " said an HPA official. "It has nothing to do with bio-security."

Professor Spratt's report could indicate a worrying history of poor maintenance under the IAH. The Pirbright facilities were attacked as " shabby" in a Commons report before a major rebuilding programme, and last December, the IAH's sister site at Compton, Berkshire, was served with an improvement notice for failing to protect workers from Legionnaires' disease.
Early findings from the current investigation, which looked at the building in which the infected person worked, suggest the institute was carrying out all necessary maintenance and monitoring work in compliance with relevant codes of practice. The inquiry is examining everywhere the patient has been in the 10-14 days before falling ill.

Meanwhile, the findings of an HSE investigation into soil samples from the Merial laboratories are expected to be handed to the Government today. But Mr Brown is braced for the report on Monday by Professor Spratt, whom he appointed to carry out an independent investigation into safety at the plants.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2851437.ece

 

[Vibrant62]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Uh-oh. I sincerely hope that this is a false alarm.

The area they are speaking of is smack bang in the middle of farm land right next to National Trust pine and beech forest on the one hand, and open healthland on the other which stretches all the way across the South Downs and into Sussex, with a very dense population of deer and other wildlife - Forest green has its own wild boar population too. London and surburbia is one side and that the other, extending all the way towards the coast with a lot of livestock farming in the middle and around the sides.

It is also a favoured destination for londoners and people seeking the escape of greenery and the countryside.

They need to close the south east countryside down to visitors and walkers, fast.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Friday, August 10, 2007
Farmer: It's not foot and mouth, more likely flu
UK - The farmer at the centre of a new foot and mouth scare has said he is "absolutely sure" the disease is not on his farm in Dorking.


Laurence Matthews called in vets to carry out tests on his calves but expects them to confirm they do not have foot and mouth.

Mr Matthews became worried when his animals showed signs of ulcers and contacted the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A new three-kilometre temporary control zone was set up following an "inconclusive assessment" of symptoms in cattle, Defra said. The protection and surveillance area is separate to the 10km zone already surrounding two farms that suffered infections.

Mr Matthews said some of his land was grazed by the farmer whose cattle were affected in the second outbreak. But he insisted that his own animals have never been inside any of the foot and mouth zones.

Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds said: "This is a developing disease situation.
"The containment and eradication of foot and mouth disease remains our priority. This is why we have moved swiftly to put in place a temporary control zone while we investigate this development.

"At this stage disease has not been confirmed, laboratory results will follow."

The new zone is to the west of Dorking and close to the two confirmed cases of the disease.

No Foot And Mouth At Third Farm
Updated: 14:36, Friday August 10, 2007

Tests have shown there is no outbreak of foot and mouth disease at a farm where animals were culled as a precaution earlier this week.

Tests carried out at farmFears had been raised over cattle from Hunts Hill Farm in Surrey, which is inside the protection zone set up to control any spread of the disease.

So far, four farms have been involved in the crisis. Animals from the first two locations were slaughtered after foot and mouth disease was confirmed among the herds.

Suspicions about the health of animals at the fourth farm were revealed this morning.
The 10km zone is marked in yellow and 3km zones in red


The owner of that farm has spoken out, insisting he is "absolutely sure" the disease is not on his land in Dorking - which has now been sealed off.

Laurence Matthews called in vets to carry out tests on his calves but he expects them to confirm his animals are not infected.
Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds said the level of suspicion surrounding the farm is "low".

Mr Matthews became worried when his animals showed signs of ulcers:tiphat: and contacted the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has tried to reassure people over the outbreak, saying "Britain is open for business".

Gordon Brown said everything is being done to get the country back to normal outside the restricted zones and praised the rural community for its "patience and forbearance".

He announced that farmers in the affected areas would receive compensation payments "in the next few days".

Defra has ruled out mass vaccination of cattle for the time being.


The 10km zone is marked in yellow and 3km zones in redFarmers outside the foot and mouth surveillance zones have started sending their livestock to slaughter after a ban on moving animals was lifted.

:: There are two main controlled zones in the Surrey foot and mouth crisis.

The first zone is 10km around and contains the first two farms that suffered infections. Both herds had been grazing at sites in the village of Normandy, near Guildford.

It also contains the third farm, which has now been cleared.

Inside this first zone is the research facility in Pirbright, which is at the centre of the investigation into where the virus has come from.

The second zone is a short distance away and to the west of Dorking. This contains the fourth farm, which is still awaiting test results.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1279367,00.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

NEWS RELEASE<!-- #EndEditable -->
Ref: <!-- #BeginEditable "Number" -->255/07<!-- #EndEditable -->
Date: <!-- #BeginEditable "Date" -->10 August 2007<!-- #EndEditable -->
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
<!-- #BeginEditable "Pre-title" --><!-- #EndEditable -->

<!-- #BeginEditable "Title" -->FMD update: publication of interim epidemiology report and vaccination<!-- #EndEditable -->

<!-- #BeginEditable "Body" -->In accordance with contingency planning arrangements vaccination is at the forefront of disease control policy in Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks. Arrangements for possible vaccination were triggered immediately disease was confirmed on Friday 3rd August. The Forward Vaccination Centre was in place by 6th August outside of the Surveillance Zone with teams in place ready to vaccinate should the decision be taken to do so.
Any decision to vaccinate is based on a veterinary assessment of risk and follows the FMD vaccination decision tree in the contingency plan. Vaccination is used as a disease control measure if it is demonstrated that steps additional to slaughter policy may be required to eradicate the disease.
In line with this decision tree and the emerging conclusions of epidemiology investigations it has been decided not to vaccinate at this time. However, this approach will be kept under constant review as the disease situation develops and the Forward Vaccination Centre will be kept in place.
As part of the evidence base for this decision Defra has today published an interim epidemiology report into the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Surrey
The report sets out initial findings of the National Emergency Epidemiology Group who have been investigating the outbreak. It concludes that it is very likely that the source of infection is the Pirbright site where Merial Animal Health Ltd and the Institute for Animal Health are located.
The report goes on to identify the possible mechanisms for spread of the virus from the Pirbright site.
It concludes that the risk of spread of infection out of Surrey through movements of undisclosed infection in sheep during the risk period is very low. It sets out the most likely scenario that while there is a risk of further cases in the same area, it is unlikely that infection from the original release of the virus will occur, however, further cases could arise from secondary spread.
Chief Veterinary Officer, Debby Reynolds said:
?The decision not to vaccinate at this stage, but to retain our full readiness to do so, demonstrates that our contingency planning arrangements are working. The epidemiology report indicates that infection may be contained to the Surrey area. But, these are our emerging findings, this is a developing situation and new information may come to light at any stage which changes our understanding of the outbreak.?
?It is therefore crucial that all animal keepers continue with the most stringent biosecurity measures, remain vigilant and contact their own veterinarian or local Animal Health Office if they have any concerns.?
Notes to editors<!-- #EndEditable --><!-- #BeginEditable "Notes" -->

1. The interim epidemiology report can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/pdf/fmd-epireport090807.pdf <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/PDFlinktext.lbi" -->[PDF] <!-- #EndLibraryItem -->(500 KB)
2. Biosecurity advice: Biosecurity literally means ?safe life?. If you work or come into contact with farm animals, biosecurity means taking steps to make sure that good hygiene practices are in place. This will help prevent the spread of animal disease.​

• Disease may not always be apparent, especially in the early stages
• Be clean, particularly if handling animals or moving between different premises - If direct contact with farm animals cannot be prevented then it's best practice to cleanse and disinfect protective clothing, footwear, equipment, vehicles etc. before and after contact.
• A good biosecurity routine is always essential ? not just when there is a major disease outbreak. You should ensure that work methods are designed to minimise where possible movements of people, vehicles or equipment into areas where farm animals are kept
• During an outbreak:

Only essential visitors should visit any premises with farm animals within areas where restrictions are involved.
3. The exact details of current Protection and Surveillance Zones can be found on the Defra website at: www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/
4. The Defra public helpline is currently operating from 6am-10pm. The public should call: 08459 335577.
5. Advice from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) is that foot and mouth disease is not a public health threat.
6. 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.:tiphat:
<!-- #EndEditable -->

End
Public enquiries: 08459 335577
News releases available on our website:
www.defra.gov.uk
Defra's aim is sustainable development​

<!--End of Central Content editable text area --><!--Date Modified and Published--><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="PubDate" -->Page published: 10 August 2007 12:30 <!-- InstanceEndEditable --><!--End Date-->
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070810a.htm
<!-- #EndEditable -->

 

[Niko]

Key questions

Key questions

Foot and mouth: Key Questions


By Nick Britten
Last Updated: 12:55am BST 11/08/2007

<!--NO VIEW-->
What are the implications of the new suspected case?
Massive, if it is confirmed as foot and mouth. It will be the first confirmed case outside the established protection zones - it is 12 miles from the original cases - and would mean that Defra has failed to contain the disease. The Government might be forced to re-institute a complete movement ban and mass vaccination of cattle would probably take place in and around the affected areas.
How could it have spread over that distance?
The most likely cause is it was accidentally transferred by a person or vehicle. Laurence Matthews, the farmer whose herd is being tested, owns the land on which the second outbreak occurred.
The Government has vaccines ready, why are they not being used?
Vaccination is not part of the standard response, and officials do not see any reason for unnecessarily vaccinating animals, a costly and time-consuming exercise, if they are confident the disease is not spreading.
How significant are the negative test results from the third cull?
It means that there have only been two confirmed cases, and it is now five days since a case was confirmed, leading to the growing belief among Government officials that it has been contained.
Gordon Brown has said the disease is unlikely to spread beyond Surrey, so can the rest of the country get back to normal?
Not quite yet. The Prime Minister said the animal movement ban would remain in place until officials were absolutely sure the disease was contained.
How is Defra so sure the virus came from Pirbright?
The strain of virus found in infected cattle, O1 BFS, only exists in research laboratories and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants. The closest such facilities using the virus to the outbreak area are at Pirbright; the next closest location where the virus is held is in Belgium.<!--NO VIEW-->


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/11/nfoot411.xml

The Guardian (UK) has a Special report section for anyone interested in more articles, timelines, personal stories and such:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/footandmouth/0,,441391,00.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Stream may have spread foot and mouth


By Jasper Copping and Richard Gray, Sunday Telegraph

Last Updated: 12:35am BST 12/08/2007



<!--NO VIEW-->

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>The investigation into the foot and mouth outbreak is now focusing on a stream running through the two infected farms.
Foot and mouth latest
How safe is biosafe? Officials, meanwhile, have confirmed that a third farm being tested for the virus, 12 miles from the outbreak in Surrey, is free of the disease.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=408 align=right border=0 hspace="0"><TBODY><TR><TD width=8 rowSpan=2> </TD><TD width=400><CENTER>

</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD class=caption><CENTER>Merial UK admitted that the blue chemical barrels scattered on
the allotment had not been decontaminated

</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The stream involved runs past an allotment used by a senior employee of the pharmaceutical company linked to the outbreak, before passing through nearby fields used by the two farms hit by the virus.
Merial UK, which shares the Pirbright high-security laboratory site with the government-funded Institute for Animal Health, also admitted that blue chemical barrels scattered on the allotment had not been decontaminated before being taken off the site.
A company official said the containers, which stored sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, were kept outside the "hot lab" where research on the foot and mouth virus took place, so did not need to be decontaminated. But he conceded that researchers would have to pass through the de-contamination process every time they needed chemicals.
Villagers in Normandy, Surrey, where the first case in the outbreak occurred, think the virus may have passed from the barrels on the allotment into the stream, contaminating water drunk by animals downstream. Investigators are now convinced the virus came from the Pirbright labs. A government report said the strain of the virus found was held in only a handful of labs around the world. Pirbright was the nearest and the next was in Belgium.:tiphat: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/12/nfoot112.xml
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Niko]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Outbreak hits sales
By Adam Morson
5:04pm Sunday 12th August 2007


CHELFORD Market cancelled all livestock sales after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Surrey.

About a dozen self-employed and casual staff have also been laid off because there is no work for them to do.

On Monday Gwyn Williams, partner at Marshall Auctioneers, said the Defra ban on movement of animals had come at the worst possible time.

<script language="JavaScript"> <!-- OAS_AD('Frame2'); //--> </script>
"This is our busiest time of the year," he said. "We have a lot of huge sales organised between now and the end of September."There are seven or eight pedigree sales that we may be able to reschedule depending on how quickly it is resolved."

Sales of Charollais, Texel and Beltex sheep and Belgian Blue, Hereford and Angus cattle could be affected if Defra does not lift the ban.

Produce, poultry, horticultural and machinery sales will continue but the Monday and Thursday livestock sales are suspended until further notice.

The strain of foot and mouth disease - confirmed at a Guildford holding on Friday last week - is believed to have originated at a nearby facility shared by a pharmaceutical company and a Government laboratory.

More than 120 cattle have been slaughtered. Now Mr Williams hopes the swift Government reaction will prevent a repeat of the problems caused by the 2001 outbreak. But he said it was important to reopen markets as soon as possible."The Government received massive criticism after the disaster in 2001 so they have hopefully learned the lesson that when the markets were shut it had a big impact on prices," he said.

"Without competitive bidding the pricing got into the hands of the slaughterers and the abattoirs." On Monday the National Farmers' Union said all Knutsford farmers had now been compensated after the disease hit the area in 2001.

"The historical side is all resolved," said North West spokesman Carl Hudspith.

"Everyone has got to be focused on making sure the disease does not come into our area."

But Mr Hudspith said people should still visit countryside attractions."It is going to have a profound effect on businesses because people don't understand that the countryside is still open," he said. "They put two and two together and get five."

Stockley Farm in Arley is now unable to take cows to slaughter, but is still welcoming visitors.

Helen Gibson said to be on the safe side customers had to walk through a disinfectant foot bath.

http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/display.var.1603582.0.outbreak_hits_sales.php

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/6240155.html

Britain set up controls round a farm in southeast England yesterday because of a suspected case of foot and mouth disease, raising fears that an existing outbreak of the livestock disease may not have been contained.

Animal health experts were investigating the suspected case reported in Kent, to the east of Surrey where the highly infectious animal disease was found and hundreds of animals culled earlier this month, officials said.

Authorities hope they have contained the outbreak in Surrey but confirmation of a case in Kent would be a blow to British agriculture.

"We are setting up a new temporary control zone for foot and mouth disease in Kent," said a spokeswoman for the agriculture ministry Defra.

Livestock movements are banned in a control zone. The spokeswoman did not disclose the farm's location.

Kevin Pearce, director of food and farming at the National Farmers' Union, said samples had been taken from animals at the farm but no cull had been ordered.

"It doesn't necessarily mean there is a case (of foot and mouth). It means that they have not been able to discount it straight away and as a precautionary measure they will be taking samples and testing for any signs of the virus," he said. A national ban on animal movements has been in place since the confirmation on August 3 of foot and mouth in Surrey, although there are some exceptions such as the movement of animals to slaughter, to milking or for emergency treatment.

More than 570 animals have been destroyed as a result of the outbreak and the European Union and other countries have banned British meat and dairy exports. Farmers are frustrated by the movement ban and say the trade curbs are costing them 1.8 million pounds ($3.6 million) a day.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

UK: broken pipe source of foot-and-mouth disease

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/06/content_6676057.htm

BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- A pipe at a research lab in southern England was the culprit in last month's outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported Wednesday.

Britain's Health and Safety Executive discovered there were biosecurity lapses at the facility in Pirbright, Surrey, the BBC reported. The investigators' official report was to be published Friday. The Environment Department would not comment on the report Wednesday.

The lab complex houses vaccine-maker Merial Animal Health - the British arm of U.S.-French pharmaceutical firm Merial Ltd. - and the government's Institute of Animal Health.

Virus traces were found in a pipe running from Merial's lab to a treatment plant operated by the government-run lab, the BBC reported. The pipe may have been damaged by tree roots.

Investigators found contractors working at Pirbright traveled to and from the site using a country road next to the farm where the first outbreak occurred, the BBC said.

Britain suspended exports of livestock, meat and milk products for nearly three weeks after the outbreak was detected.

About 600 animals were slaughtered as a result of the outbreak. The National Farmers' Union said restrictions on meat exports cost the industry about 3.5 million U.S. dollars a day since the first case was confirmed.

 

[Sally Furniss]

New suspected foot and mouth outbreak in Britain: ministry

New suspected foot and mouth outbreak in Britain: ministry

New suspected foot and mouth outbreak in Britain: ministry

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/299397/1/.html

LONDON : A suspected new case of foot and mouth disease has been detected near London, near the site of last month's outbreak in Britain, the environment ministry said Wednesday.

A three-kilometre temporary control zone has been placed around the site, near the towns of Egham and Staines, west of London.

The zone is approximately 30 miles (50 kilometres) from the August outbreak in the same county, Surrey.

It comes four days after Britain was officially declared free from foot and mouth disease.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who abandoned his summer holiday after four hours to deal with last month's outbreak, has been informed but has no plans to cut short a planned official visit to Leicester, central England.

Sky News television reported that Brown was to chair a meeting of COBRA, Britain's emergency contingencies committee, in London at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT).

A spokeswoman for his Downing Street office said animals were being slaughtered in the affected area.

"The prime minister has no plans to cut the visit short," the spokeswoman said.

"This is not yet a confirmed outbreak but a suspected outbreak and they are slaughtering animals as a precautionary measure."

The temporary control zone was declared at 9:35am (0835 GMT), said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

It has now announced tight restrictions on animal movements in the zone. - AFP/ms

 

[JJackson]

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Re: UK: Farm infected with foot-and-mouth

Here we go again.

New foot-and-mouth case confirmed

A new case of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in Surrey, the government has said.
Chief vet Dr Debby Reynolds confirmed the outbreak near Milton Park Farm, near Egham. A 10km control zone has been set up around its sites.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6990913.stm

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: New suspected foot and mouth outbreak in Britain: ministry

Re: New suspected foot and mouth outbreak in Britain: ministry


Foot-and-mouth disease found at fifth UK farm

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/biosecurity/ag-biosec/news/sep2107fmd.html

Sep 21, 2007 (CIDRAP News) ? Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was confirmed on a fifth farm in Surrey in southern England this week, but another feared outbreak near Birmingham in the central part of the country was ruled out.

The three most recent FMD confirmations were all on farms near the town of Egham, where the virus reemerged less than a week after the United Kingdom's chief veterinarian announced on Sep 7 that the disease had been eradicated in the area. The disease had been confirmed on two other Surrey farms in early August.

Today the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said FMD is suspected on still another farm in Surrey. After a veterinary inspection on a farm within the existing protection zone, officials decided to slaughter the farm's cattle, the agency said. It was not known how soon test results for the cattle would be available.

The latest confirmed outbreak near Egham was announced Sep 18. Yesterday DEFRA said the strain found there, type 01 BFS67, matched the strain in all the other recent outbreaks. Officials believe the cases have resulted from a leak at an FMD laboratory facility in nearby Pirbright that houses a commercial vaccine producer and a government-funded research institute.

On Sep 19, officials reported suspicious symptoms in cattle on a farm in Solihull, near Birmingham, about 100 miles from Egham. But yesterday the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said lab tests had excluded the disease.

A temporary control zone had been set up around the Solihull farm as a precaution. The farmer alerted authorities when he noticed one of his bulls was frothing at the mouth, which is a possible sign of the disease, the Birmingham Mail reported.

Debby Reynolds, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said in a Sep 19 statement that a postmortem exam of infected cattle on the fifth farm revealed that some of their lesions were more than 10 days old, and she urged farmers to be more vigilant and visually inspect their animals twice a day, rather than once a day as usually recommended.

"This is a disease which can be easily spotted in its early stages. Immediate reporting of any suspicions is critical to the control of this disease," she said in the DEFRA statement.

The continuing outbreaks have sparked discussions about vaccinating animals against the disease. Reynolds has said the government stands ready but has not made the decision to order vaccinations yet.

Colin Fink, a virologist from Warwick University in Coventry, said on a recent BBC radio program that without vaccination, the virus could become more entrenched as autumn sets in, bringing cool weather that may allow the virus to survive, the London Guardian reported yesterday.

"We have a major problem, because without the sunshine to destroy the virus in the field, we're going to have the virus around for a long time," he said on the program.

The government is hesitant to order vaccinations, because European Union rules would then ban cattle exports for 6 months, the Guardian report said, adding that culling for FMD prompts a shorter 3-month ban.

A recent DEFRA report said the FMD leak at Pirbright was likely caused by flooding and faulty wastewater drains. Workers have relined the existing drains and sealed manhole covers, pending construction of a new drainage system.

FMD is an extremely contagious disease that affects cattle, sheep, pigs, and other ruminants, causing sores in the mouth and on the hooves. The debilitating condition does not usually kill adult animals, but it drastically reduces milk production. The disease very rarely affects humans, according to DEFRA.

In the two earlier FMD outbreaks, which were confirmed in early August, veterinary authorities culled nearly 600 animals. A widespread outbreak in Britain in 2001 led to the destruction of 7 million cattle to stop the disease.

See also:

Collected DEFRA statements about FMD outbreak
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2007/animal-0919.htm

Sep 18 DEFRA statement
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070918a.htm

Sep 13 CIDRAP News story "Latest UK foot-and-mouth cases linked to earlier ones"

Sep 7 CIDRAP News story "British blame leaky drain for foot-and-mouth outbreak"

 

[FrenchieGirl]

Re: UK: Foot-and-mouth

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2007/animal-0919.htm

Foot and Mouth Disease in Surrey: sixth Infected Premises confirmed; continued vigilance required

Update 21:50 21 September

Positive test results for Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) have now been confirmed at the site where it was decided that cattle should be slaughtered on suspicion earlier this evening. The affected animals are within the existing Protection Zone and this now becomes the sixth Infected Premises since 3rd August this year. Minor changes have now been made to the Protection Zone (PZ) and Surveillance Zone (SZ) in the area. The new zones can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/pdf/declaration-amdning-pzsz210907.pdf

 

[Sally Furniss]

Eighth case of British foot and mouth disease confirmed

Eighth case of British foot and mouth disease confirmed

Eighth case of British foot and mouth disease confirmed
Posted: 01 October 2007 0628 hrs

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/303132/1/.html

LONDON : British officials confirmed on Sunday 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 in a statement.

The ministry added 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 1,800 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 eight billion pounds (11.7 billion euros, 16.0 billion dollars). - AFP/de