Double trouble: foot and mouth plus farmer pushback

Although authorities are cautiously confident that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) can be contained, they’ve also stressed that strict adherence to the measures is a must. Any loosening up in containment protocols could spell disaster, as the virus is highly contagious.

FMD is a viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats, causing blister-like lesions on the mouth and feet.

The causative agent, foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), has seven distinct strains or serotypes: O, A, C, Asia1, and Southern African Territories (SAT) 1, SAT 2, and SAT 3.

Following outbreaks of FMD in December 2025 in the north of Cyprus, on February 20 this year FMD was confirmed in the Republic of Cyprus on a cattle farm near Larnaca.

Neighbouring Turkey has recorded many outbreaks of the SAT1 strain, considered exotic to the region, and it may have originated in East Africa.

Sotiria Georgiadou, spokesperson for the veterinary services, told the Sunday Mail the strain in Cyprus has been identified as SAT1. Samples sent to labs in the EU confirmed this.

This is the same strain detected in Turkey, and from there it’s believed the virus ‘jumped’ to the north of Cyprus. Authorities in the north have stated the strain there is SAT1.

Also a few cases of SAT1 were recently detected on the Greek island of Lesbos – not far from the Turkish mainland.

Asked whether they have conclusive proof that FMD came here from the north of the island, Georgiadou said: “Not 100 per cent…it’s conjecture, but pretty solid conjecture.”

The spokesperson noted the strain in Cyprus is transmissible by intermediaries – humans, hides, hair, wool, hay, straw, packing fabrics, milk, manure, urine, cats and dogs, rabbits, mice, hedgehogs and birds.

The virus can also be spread by wind, watercourses and vehicles.

“All FMD strains are like that,” Georgiadou added.

For this reason, authorities have set up control zones. The first is a 3km radius around infected premises – the hot spot. The second zone extends to 10km around the source.

Anyone entering these zones needs special permission. Only those who work there are allowed in. Those who transit – such as truckers bringing supplies to farms – also require permission.

All vehicles entering these zones undergo disinfection. The same goes for people. The disinfection takes place both on entry and exit from a control zone.

Regarding the overall situation, the official told the Cyprus Mail that so far the virus has been detected only in the Larnaca and Nicosia districts.

In Larnaca, the spread appears under control – “a positive sign”.

“We’re a little worried about Nicosia district, because of the intensive farming there. But if the situation is contained in both Larnaca and Nicosia, then we’re on a good path.”

As to the 42 cases detected so far, Georgiadou explained this means that cases have been found in 42 farming units – it does not mean only 42 animals tested positive for FMD.

Of the 42 units, one operated illegally, without a permit.

“If you find just one case in one unit, the entire herd is considered potentially infected, and all animals must be culled,” she said.

Asked how many actual positives have been detected in animals, Georgiadou did not have the numbers on hand. Not all animals are tested – only samples are taken from each unit.

But she said that the animal population in the 42 affected units comes to around 25,000.

The official stressed that infected animals do not end up in the human food chain.

“Even if somehow an infected animal makes it to an abattoir, there are more checks there. In addition, before going to market dairy products get heat treatment, which kills FMD.

“In any case, FMD does not infect humans. Humans can only be carriers.”

Speaking to other media during the week, Georgiadou was asked whether the EU had ‘prevented’ authorities from vaccinating when FMD first appeared in the north of the island.

“By law, we cannot vaccinate when we are free of FMD – this is clear,” she replied.

“Nor would they (the EU) have given us vaccines at the time.  So we contacted them and asked for vaccines for the north, in order to protect our own animals in the south – to reduce the viral load, so that it doesn’t spread to the south.”

According to the official, without official confirmation of FMD in the south, not even animals close to the buffer zone could be vaccinated.

The first recorded outbreak of FMD in Cyprus was in 1959 to 1964.

Then in 2007 a case was detected, but this was not classed as an outbreak.

The Cyprus Mail hosted an article on FMD by Claire Powell, a freelance journalist who covered the severe outbreak in the UK in 2001. That outbreak resulted in the slaughter of at least six million animals – a major blow to the livestock business.

Powell mentioned a Scottish company called Snowie. At the start of the outbreak in the UK, the company was contracted to work alongside the army. Snowie, run by four farming brothers, had the necessary equipment and expertise, along with an international reputation in containment and neutralisation of industrial and chemical spill and pollution incidents.

We contacted Malcolm Snowie, the eldest of the brothers.

In an emailed response, Snowie said he is happy to offer Cypriot authorities any assistance and/or advice.

His areas of expertise cover: specialised logistics for carcasses, on-site incineration of animals; on-site burial of animals; decontamination of sites; and bio-security measures.

“The most important aspect is bio-security, and safe and efficient carcass disposal and transportation,” he said.

In addition to the fast spread of the virus, authorities in Cyprus have had to contend with pushback from livestock farmers.

Some farmers first reacted to the mass culling, arguing that only symptomatic animals should be put down. But authorities, backed up by EU experts, cited EU legislation that’s unequivocal – all animals within an infected farming unit must be slaughtered, no exceptions.

Next livestock herders reacted to re-sampling, with some preventing authorities from doing their work. They fear that if a sample comes back positive, but the antibodies to FMD were induced by vaccination, their animals would be slaughtered for no good reason.

Farmers in the Yeri area claimed that, by law, re-sampling can only be done 28 days after vaccination.

But Kyriacos Spanoudis, chairman of the Veterinary Council, said the farmers are misunderstanding the protocols.

“The 28 days that they cite only applies to areas/farms where no FMD has been detected. But once a case is detected in the vicinity of a farming unit, the sampling protocol is completely different.”

Speaking on CyBC radio during the week, Spanoudis – a member of the scientific advisory committee for FMD – lamented the “misinformation” doing the rounds.

“Pamphlets are circulating advising farmers not to cooperate, which is especially dangerous and detrimental to managing this crisis,” he said.

“Unfortunately, they’re getting some unscientific advice.”