VETERINARY AUTHORITIES in Portugal have confirmed that no animals have been imported in the last 30 days from the south of England where an outbreak of foot and mouth disease was reported on Monday.
In Spain, however, local health authority ordered an urgent inspection of 48 animal farms located in Lleida, Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona. According to Spanish authorities, the Cataluna province has imported 1,943 cows from England since June 1, including 492 in the last two weeks.
On Tuesday, English authorities announced two new outbreaks in Surrey, not far from the previous one reported in the small village of Normandy.
The European Commission’s Veterinary Committee was expected to meet on Wednesday to decide if it should keep or intensify a previous security measure taken after first cases were reported.
The Committee ordered a security range of three to 10 kilometres around farms affected or in risk of being related.
Foot and mouth is still endemic in many countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Central and South America. Sporadic cases are also reported in Europe.
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