Belgium has destroyed 1,000 sheep imported from UK since 1 February and has halted the transport of live goats and sheep. Three new cases of foot-and-mouth disease were confirmed on 12 April, taking the total to 25. A case was found on 11 April on a dairy farm in a remote northern region which had until then been unaffected. A full lifting of the restrictions is not planned until 30 days after the last confirmed foot-and-mouth case in the UK is detected. A calf in northern Luxembourg has developed symptoms that could be a suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease, the agriculture ministry said on 10 April. Initial tests on a possible outbreak at a pig farm in North Rhine-Westphalia, near the Dutch border proved negative. The movement of all farm animals has been banned and abattoirs closed. It was the latest in a series of scares. When the first outbreak of the disease in France was confirmed on 13 March, Belgium imposed an immediate ban on French livestock imports. By 3 June, there were 1,697 confirmed cases of the disease in the UK.
There is a temporary ban on traditional reindeer races, and a ban on all events that involve bringing together hoofed animals. Hunting has been banned, and the Six Nations Rugby matches with Wales, England and Scotland have been postponed until next season. On 28 March three suspected cases in the west of the country also proved negative. On 13 March, following the first confirmed outbreak in France, North Rhine-Westphalia announced that all sheep imported from France in the previous three weeks would be destroyed. Export bans on meat and dairy produce were lifted on 3 April, except from three areas of the country where the disease had been found. Meanwhile there is a ban on the import of all animals at risk, including non-European livestock. There is a ban on the transport of all animals at risk from foot-and-mouth disease. But with no new cases reported by 13 April, the EU lifted export bans on French livestock. Links to more Europe stories In This Section Mass resignations rock Turkey Crash pilots given conflicting orders Serbia jails first war criminal New hope for Aids vaccine Ukraine mine death toll rises Russian anti-Jewish sign explodes Sicilians dish up anti-Mafia pasta Finland and Sweden plan ‘Eurocity’ Bosnia massacre suspect held Croat leader consults over new PM Babcock rescue talks fail French town bans swimwear on streets Analysis: Beginning of end for Ecevit Turkey: Should elections be held?
The Dutch were the first to seek – and gain – permission to vaccinate animals around infected farms, to create a firebreak against the infection spreading. Meanwhile the area around Boxhorn farm has been sealed off. Fish and poultry cannot catch foot-and-mouth, but there had been fears that transporting them across borders could help spread the disease. There are disinfectant measures in place at borders. There are strict border controls on traffic entering from Northern Ireland. There is a ban on imports from the UK, Ireland, Belgium. All sheep and goats imported from the UK have been slaughtered, and there are quarantine orders on farms thought to have been supplied with animals from infected areas of the UK. Russia had banned imports of meat from cows, sheep and other animals affected by the disease. Sheep and pigs imported from the UK have been impounded for tests for the disease. Airport arrivals are being monitored to ensure no meat or milk is brought into the country. At least 2,896,000 animals have been slaughtered and 77,000 animals are awaiting slaughter. Links to more Europe stories are at the foot of the page.