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Progress Made With the Outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease

Foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, in particular cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer. Since 3 August 2007 there have been eight confirmed cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Surrey, Windsor and Maidenhead.

Following extensive surveillance work, and there having been no further cases of FMD discovered, Defra has taken the decision to reduce the size of the FMD Restriction Zone.

The Area outside the Restricted Zone is now not subject to any FMD movement restrictions, however Bluetongue controls are still in place

Foot and Mouth Disease Does Not Pose a Threat to Food Safety

Foot and mouth disease is an animal disease and not a public health issue. The foot and mouth virus is destroyed by heat. Therefore, even if it were to be transmissible to humans, cooking of meat and pasteurisation of milk would kill the virus. Milk from an infected area is required to be pasteurised for animal disease control purposes.

Further information can be found by clicking on the links in the ‘useful links’ box , above.

DEFRA helpline: 08459 33 55 77.