New suspected Foot and Mouth outbreak announced in Surrey

A case of Foot and Mouth Disease has been confirmed at a site near Egham, Surrey.

Great Britain has therefore been declared a high risk area until 15 October 2007, subject to review. This means that live animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease cannot be dispatched from Great Britain, nor can their products. The only exception is for:

• Products which have been treated in a way which inactivates the virus (e.g. heat-treatment)
• Products which were produced before the restrictions applied
• Products produced with materials sourced from outside the restriction zone.

Likewise, no live animals can be sent to Great Britain from other Member States. Live animals and animal products will still be allowed to be dispatched from Northern Ireland to other Member States, so long as they carry the appropriate health certificate and the responsible veterinary authority in the country of destination is given 3 days advance warning.

A national movement ban is also in place.

For more information on the European Commission decisinon, visit the European Commission website. 

FFB are monitoring the situation and will update as soon as further news is known.

12 September 2007