Brussels, 11/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - Community protection measures against foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom were updated on Tuesday 11 September by veterinary experts from EU member states. These measures were imposed at the beginning of August and then partly lifted a fortnight later. The United Kingdom has also indicted that negligence by the Institute of Animal Health in Pirbright appeared to be at the source of the cases of foot and mouth disease first detected on two farms in Surrey (south east England).
The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has endorsed a decision that still allows the United Kingdom to export cattle and animal products to other EU member states. However, in order to protect the other EU member states' internationally recognised foot and mouth-free regional trade status, the embargo will still continue for a while longer (until 10 November) for animals and meat located in the surveillance zone in Surrey (where the outbreaks occurred).
The European Commission notes with satisfaction that there has been no new outbreak since the two cases recorded in Surrey at the start of the month. At the meeting of the standing committee, the British vet said that the outbreak of foot and mouth disease would seem to be explained by failings in biosecurity measures at the Pirbright site, where laboratories specialising in the foot and mouth analyses are located. The two holdings affected by this epizootic are located not far from the Pirbright laboratories. The Commission announced that it was to conduct inspections at Pirbright and other EU centres specialising in the study of foot and mouth disease. (lc)