Austria to shut border crossings to Hungary, Slovakia over foot and mouth

FILE PHOTO: Sheep make their way down to "Rofenberg" pasture in the region of Tyrol, Austria, June 9, 2018. Picture taken June 9, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo

VIENNA (Reuters) -Austria will close two smaller crossings at its border with Slovakia and 21 at its border with Hungary from Saturday, in a bid to prevent foot-and-mouth disease from entering the country, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

The first outbreak of the highly infectious disease in 50 years in Hungary led the country on Wednesday to deploy soldiers and launch disinfection measures to contain it in an area bordering Slovakia and Austria.