FMD Strain ‘Same’ As Previous One, Reports Say
SURREY - It is being reported that initial tests show the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak in Egham, in Surrey, is the same strain as the outbreak on two farms in the same county last month.
13 September 2007
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However, Defra said this has not yet been confirmed and that it is still awaiting results of tests from Pirbright to identify the strain.
If a link between the two outbreaks was confirmed it would at least narrow down the search for answers as to how the latest outbreak could have happened.
It would appear likely that the virus somehow survived undetected in livestock, wildlife, on farms, vehicles or in the environment for a month.
The new outbreaks came just five days after Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds announced that the virus had been eradicated from the UK and lifted the remaining restrictions.
Animals on two farms have been culled. The infected premises, Milton Park Farm, is understood to keep over 300 beef cattle on different parcels of land, near Egham.
