European experts investigating the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus warn that the virus may have spread undetected across more areas than initially identified. The assessment follows a visit by the European Veterinary Emergency Team (EUVET) during the last week of February.
Findings of the European veterinary emergency team
According to the EUVET experts, infections among sheep and goats pose the greatest risk of unnoticed transmission, increasing the likelihood that cattle and pig herds could also become infected.
“Realistically, we must assume that more areas of the island are infected and should be considered high-risk zones. Nothing can be ruled out at this stage,” the report notes.
The findings support earlier assessments by Cyprus veterinary services that the virus may have been circulating in government-controlled areas since January. Investigators believe that one of the seropositive sheep or goat flocks may have been the source of infection for a cattle herd.
Evidence of undetected spread
Serological results from the first ten positive sheep and goat farms indicate that the virus may have spread subclinically, meaning without visible symptoms.
According to EUVET, this suggests that many more sheep and goat herds could have been affected and that the infection may have been spreading unnoticed for several weeks, possibly since the beginning of the year.
Uncertainty over the origin of the virus
The European experts did not reach definitive conclusions regarding the origin of the outbreak. However, the report refers to rumours among farmers about the illegal import of contaminated hay from the northern part of the island.
The experts also warn of risks linked to illegal movement of animals and animal products through gaps along the Green Line.
They stress that veterinary specialists must be allowed to carry out their work without interference from farming organisations, livestock owners or political groups.
Recommendations to the authorities
The European team issued a series of 17 recommendations aimed at containing the outbreak. These include strengthening checks on unauthorised crossings of the Green Line, effective monitoring of the national livestock standstill, and urgent reinforcement of laboratory capacity with additional staff and reagents.
The experts also recommend the rapid procurement of vaccines for pigs and the immediate culling of infected herds, or the use of suppression vaccination if culling cannot be carried out without delay.