FMD cases remain stable as mass culling continues

The infection rate of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) remained stable on Wednesday, with a total of 42 cases recorded in the Republic of Cyprus, as further cullings were carried out in Dromolaxia, Geri and Livadia.

“We have reached a vaccination rate of over 85 per cent of the cattle population nationwide and 49.3 per cent in sheep and goats,” veterinary services spokesperson Sotiria Georgiadou said.

She said that new laboratory results are yet to be received, requiring a comprehensive examination to assess how the situation is progressing.

Although analyses are conducted daily, only positive cases are announced, with numbers unchanged from Tuesday.

“We have set timelines and plans to better organise our response so we can get ahead of the virus rather than follow it,” she said.

Georgiadou explained that when a case is identified in a livestock unit, an epidemiological investigation is launched to determine the extent of the spread.

Asked whether farmers had attempted to block cullings, she said no such incidents were recorded on Wednesday. However, some livestock farmers, particularly in Geri, objected to the taking of samples.

“Some farmers reacted to sampling, citing legislation that requires a second vaccination before samples are taken,” she said, adding that further checks would be carried out 30 days after the second round of vaccinations.

She clarified that the tests detect antibodies from natural infection, not from vaccination, dismissing concerns that vaccinated animals could be culled.

“This is provided for under the legislation. We must track how the virus is spreading, which is why samples are taken as a precaution,” she said.

While Georgiadou could not give an exact figure for animals culled in Dromolaxia and Livadia, she confirmed that at least 70 cows had been put down.

As of Tuesday, 1,160 cows and 15,000 sheep and goats had been slaughtered, bringing the total to over 16,000, including Wednesday’s cullings.

Regarding harvesting in affected zones, she said the Agriculture Ministry had issued a directive allowing harvesting from March 12. Hay collected within a three- and ten-kilometre radius of affected areas will be used to feed remaining animals.

She added that the government is preparing compensation measures for farmers facing financial losses, targeting affected livestock units.

Asked about the identification of further infection sources, she reiterated that tracing efforts had been expanded to the whole island, with investigations covering the period from January 1. The first FMD case in the Republic had been detected on February 20, meanwhile the first cases in the north were detected December 2025.

“The most important thing is that the Turkish Cypriots have been asked to align more closely with European regulations and implement similar measures,” she said.

Members of the veterinary committee operating under the bicommunal technical committee on health met to exchange updates on the island’s FMD outbreak Tuesday.

Attendees included veterinarians from the veterinary service who briefed members on developments, including two new cases identified at farms in Dhali and Yeri.

Co-chair Leonidas Fylaktou said the committee has met at least four times since the first case was detected in the north and remains in constant contact.

According to Fylaktou, Turkish Cypriot representatives reported that the outbreak in the isolated area of Lapathos, where the disease first broke out, has been contained, while vaccination of the entire livestock population in the north is ongoing.

Sampling is also continuing outside the initial outbreak zone, with Turkish Cypriot members requesting more time to assess proposals and adjust their response.

Culling in the north has so far been limited to the most severe cases.

Fylaktou said the Greek Cypriot side has proposed aligning responses by uniformly applying EU protocols.

Agricultural organisations in the Republic had on Tuesday lauded the measures to combat the further spread of the disease decided on by the cabinet as a step “in the right direction.”

“The measures create positive conditions and a good basis for the recovery of livestock farming in our country [to] address the problems on a multi-level basis and seek to resolve them as soon as possible,” the groups said.

President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday announced a €28 million, nine-point support plan for livestock farmers, aimed at ensuring full compensation, income support and the rapid recovery of production.

Following a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace, he said advance compensation payments had already begun.

The full package, as later explained by Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, includes €3.5 million in advance payments and an additional €24.5 million approved by parliament.