Vaccination of animals against foot-and-mouth disease resumes in Cyprus on June 15

Vaccination of animals against foot-and-mouth disease in Cyprus will resume on June 15, while the current sampling in quarantine zones has not identified a single positive result. This was announced by members of the epidemiological group following a meeting with the veterinary service at the Cyprus Institute. Experts noted that the combination of biosecurity measures, vaccination and restrictions on livestock movement is already having an effect, and the summer heat and sun are additionally reducing the virus's activity.

So far, veterinarians have inspected 830 farms across the country. Monitoring is now focused on the 3- and 10-kilometre quarantine zones, primarily in the Pakhna area, where several holdings with small ruminants still need to be examined. Previously, local farm owners refused to allow specialists in. In Paphos, a repeat analysis of samples showed negative results, and in Limassol sampling will begin immediately after monitoring within a 10 km radius is completed. Member of the epidemiological group, Professor Dimitris Tsaltas of the Cyprus University of Technology, said that over the past week results have been received for 25 of the 31 samples taken, and all of them were clear.

Since the outbreak began on the island, 3.5% of the entire cattle herd, 9.5% of sheep and goats, and 7.7% of pigs have been destroyed. President of the Pancyprian Veterinary Association Dimitris Epaminondas gave exact figures: 2,293 cows, 43,411 sheep and goats, and 23,242 pigs were subjected to compulsory culling. The main stage of the large-scale vaccination campaign is planned to be completed by early or mid-August, after which vaccination will begin on farms that were not previously covered. According to experts, a return to the usual recovery process for affected farms will not be possible before autumn, when the full disinfection of the areas and the disposal of contaminated feed are completed.