Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus called unprecedented

The Ministry of Agriculture of Cyprus has described the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak as unprecedented for the country. Two months after the first case, the virus remains uncontrolled, and the number of culled animals continues to rise.

According to the department, infection has been confirmed on 104 farms. A total of about 57,000 head of livestock have been destroyed:

• cows
• sheep
• goats
• pigs

The spread of the disease has expanded, covering territory from Larnaca to the western part of Nicosia.

Ministry Director General Andreas Grigoriou stated that the virus has not yet completed its cycle, and the situation is complicated by widespread prevalence and the difficulty of control.

Key problems and measures

One of the key problems remains the differing approaches to fighting the disease on the island. In the south, strict European protocols are applied, including mass culling, while in the north, vaccination is used. This creates a risk of the virus spreading back and forth.

Cypriot authorities have already appealed to the European Commission for assistance in coordinating measures. Also under discussion are:

• compensation for farmers
• possible deferral of loan obligations

Economic risks

The situation could affect the production of halloumi — one of the country's main export products. Due to the reduction in livestock, there is a risk of raw material shortages and pressure on production standards.