Foot-and-Mouth Disease: Veterinary Services Respond to Criticism

Veterinary Services are responding to criticism regarding the handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus, following the detection of cases in the Larnaca region. Sotiria Georgiadou, spokesperson for the Veterinary Services, stated during the briefing at KSED that the situation is stable and epidemiological investigations are continuing with negative results.

At the same time, vaccinations of sheep and goats by private veterinarians are progressing, with 42,000 units covered in the infected zone. The assessment of the value of animals and feed for compensation to farmers, as well as the culling of sheep and goats in Aradippou and Livadia, is also underway. So far, approximately 1,300 animals have been culled, with another 2,700 expected to be culled.

Ms. Georgiadou denied reports of cases in Kokkinotrimithia and stressed that culling is carried out in accordance with the law and only after a laboratory result. She also mentioned that the investigation into the origin of the virus is ongoing and any information is submitted to the Police.

Responding to criticism for refusing to repeat the tests, Ms. Georgiadou defended the reliability of the Veterinary Services laboratory and called on the public to stop the fear and questioning.