Post by Starchild on Aug 4, 2007 8:07:23 GMT
Farm infected with foot-and-mouth
Defra officials are working at the farm near Guildford
Cattle at a farm in Surrey have been found to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease.
Some 60 animals on the farm close to the village of Wanborough near Guildford have tested positive for the disease which wreaked havoc in 2001.
A 3km protection zone has been put in place around the premises and a UK ban imposed on movement of all livestock.
Gordon Brown cancelled his holiday in Dorset and took part in a meeting of government Cobra emergency committee.
Very few human cases of foot-and-mouth disease have ever been recorded. The last human case reported in the UK occurred in 1966.
In accordance with legislation, all cattle on the Surrey premises will be culled, said a government spokesman.
A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are in place
Enlarge Image
The farm has been under restrictions since late on Thursday when symptoms were reported.
Debby Reynolds, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, confirmed the outbreak after samples were taken from the farm.
She said: "We are trying to form a picture of where the infection may have come from but at the moment it's very early stages.
"It is the absolute priority at the moment to prevent further spread, and piece together information about how it might have got there in the first place."
Even the words 'foot-and-mouth' will send a chill through the spine of every farmer in the country
Tim Bonner, Countryside Alliance
Gordon Brown is returning to London on Saturday and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn is to break off from his holiday in Italy.
The Cobra committee is to reconvene on Saturday morning to review latest developments.
Ms Reynolds advised farmers across the UK to examine their animals carefully and immediately report anything suspicious.
As well as the 3km protection zone, there is also a 10km surveillance zone where nearby animals are monitored.
The outbreak in 2001 led to between 6.5 million and 10 million animals being destroyed and cost as much as £8.5bn. Many farms and other rural businesses were ruined.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6930684.stm
Defra officials are working at the farm near Guildford
Cattle at a farm in Surrey have been found to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease.
Some 60 animals on the farm close to the village of Wanborough near Guildford have tested positive for the disease which wreaked havoc in 2001.
A 3km protection zone has been put in place around the premises and a UK ban imposed on movement of all livestock.
Gordon Brown cancelled his holiday in Dorset and took part in a meeting of government Cobra emergency committee.
Very few human cases of foot-and-mouth disease have ever been recorded. The last human case reported in the UK occurred in 1966.
In accordance with legislation, all cattle on the Surrey premises will be culled, said a government spokesman.
A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are in place
Enlarge Image
The farm has been under restrictions since late on Thursday when symptoms were reported.
Debby Reynolds, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, confirmed the outbreak after samples were taken from the farm.
She said: "We are trying to form a picture of where the infection may have come from but at the moment it's very early stages.
"It is the absolute priority at the moment to prevent further spread, and piece together information about how it might have got there in the first place."
Even the words 'foot-and-mouth' will send a chill through the spine of every farmer in the country
Tim Bonner, Countryside Alliance
Gordon Brown is returning to London on Saturday and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn is to break off from his holiday in Italy.
The Cobra committee is to reconvene on Saturday morning to review latest developments.
Ms Reynolds advised farmers across the UK to examine their animals carefully and immediately report anything suspicious.
As well as the 3km protection zone, there is also a 10km surveillance zone where nearby animals are monitored.
The outbreak in 2001 led to between 6.5 million and 10 million animals being destroyed and cost as much as £8.5bn. Many farms and other rural businesses were ruined.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6930684.stm