Cyprus completes mass animal culling following foot-and-mouth outbreak

The Cypriot Ministry of Agriculture confirmed the completion of the mass culling of approximately 6,650 animals across the districts of Nicosia, Limassol, and Larnaca to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The operation was executed over two days with the assistance of the Cyprus Police and the National Guard to ensure compliance. Veterinary Services personnel worked continuously, with some operations in Larnaca lasting until 4:00 am on Saturday to meet project deadlines. During the operation, 101 inspections were conducted, resulting in two recorded violations regarding the transport of animals without documentation. While current culling operations are finished, authorities are preparing for nationwide vaccination campaigns expected to begin after the arrival of vaccines next week. Scientific advisors noted that recent sampling tests returned negative results, and regions such as Famagusta and Paphos remain currently free of the disease. Cooperation with Turkish-Cypriot veterinarians has been reported as challenging due to funding disagreements, despite mutual interest in following EU animal health regulations.