Critical three-month period for foot-and-mouth disease control in Cyprus

Experts have identified the next three months as a critical period for eradicating the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus. Professor Dimitris Tsaltas, from the Cyprus University of Technology, emphasized that the immediate culling of 6,000 infected animals is essential to contain the virus. He called for intensified vaccination programs, stricter biosecurity measures, and increased patrols by police and the National Guard at checkpoints and disinfection points. Stavros Malas, head of the scientific committee for livestock reconstruction, also highlighted the need for strategic decisions regarding the future of the livestock sector by the end of the year. Both experts agreed that stopping animal movement across the buffer zone with the occupied territories is a primary objective. Professor Tsaltas noted that the occupied territories present a significant challenge due to limited intervention capabilities, suggesting that the European Union should take responsibility for the situation. Malas specifically identified the cross-border movement of livestock as a major pathway for the virus to enter free areas.