The highly contagious disease was eradicated in Britain in 2007 – but it’s poised to make a return if the UK Government doesn’t act fast, health officials have warned
Health officials are sounding the alarm over the possible return of a highly contagious virus to the UK, warning that unless swift action is taken, the country could face a major outbreak.
Foot-and-mouth disease, which causes painful blisters in the mouths and hooves of livestock, was eradicated in Britain in 2007. While harmless to humans, it can contaminate animal products like meat and milk. Rare cases have been linked to people drinking raw milk from infected cows, though such instances are extremely uncommon. Now fresh outbreaks across Europe are raising serious concerns. The disease was first detected on a Hungarian cattle farm in early March and spread within two weeks to three farms in neighbouring Slovakia – the first reported cases in both countries in over 50 years. Germany has also reported infections, sparking border closures and mass culls.
There are fears the virus could now slip through without suitable checks at UK borders. Jamie Pout, Dover District Council’s environmental lead, warned that authorities at the Port of Dover are “barely scratching the surface” when it comes to adequate checks. “It’s a matter of time” before foot-and-mouth or African swine fever crosses into Britain, he said.
The economic toll of an outbreak could be devastating. Affected farmers face huge losses – from culling herds to reduced milk yields. The wider agricultural industry could also take a hit, with the potential loss of access to foreign markets for British meat, dairy, and livestock.
In response, the UK has banned all commercial imports of livestock – including pigs, sheep, cattle and deer – from affected countries. Meat and dairy products are also restricted, and health certificates for animal-origin goods from those regions are no longer being issued.
In April, the Government also enforced a ban on “bringing items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain”. It means Brits must avoid bringing dairy products from certain animals back to the country when returning from the EU, EFTA States, the Faroe Islands or Greenland.
Labour MP Josh Newbury – a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) – highlighted poor conditions at UK ports last week, saying he witnessed health inspections happening under “rusty canopies, with nesting pigeons [in buildings] that had no walls”. He added that these facilities had “no ability to wash down” and lacked PPE equipment, other than gloves.
Last week, the Government lifted restrictions on livestock from Germany after the country was declared disease free.
Following allegations from the border, the government said it will do “whatever it takes” to protect British farmers from disease, incuding increased seizures of illegal meat products and a £200million boost towards research and lab testing facilities to help protect against animal disease.