Two more incidences of foot and mouth diagnosed

Two more incidences of foot and mouth disease were identified at farms in the Larnaca district on Saturday, the veterinary services department said on Saturday.

One was identified on a farm which houses 16 sheep and goats in the village of Dromolaxia, while the other was identified on a farm which houses 193 cows in nearby Meneou.

Every animal on both farms will now be culled.

The number of incidences identified since the outbreak has now as such risen to 44, with an “incidence” in this sense considered to be one farm, given that upon the detection of one positive case at a farming unit, every animal on the unit must be slaughtered.

Additionally, the department announced that 89 per cent of cattle units and 65 per cent of sheep and goat units across the island have been vaccinated.

Culling is also ongoing, with around 21,000 sheep and goats having been slaughtered so far.