NICOSIA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Veterinary authorities in the government-controlled areas of Cyprus confirmed on Friday the first case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at a cow-breeding unit in Livadia, a village in the Larnaca district in southeastern Cyprus.
Five cows at the farm tested positive for the virus, according to the Cyprus News Agency.
Christodoulos Pipis, head of the Veterinary Services, said Friday that all 260 cattle at the affected farm will be culled under standard disease control protocols. The farm and all livestock units within a three-kilometer radius have been placed under a 21-day lockdown, with a ban on the movement of animals and animal products without official authorization.
Government teams are conducting epidemiological investigations to determine the source of the infection and are carrying out targeted inspections at nearby farms. Biosecurity and disinfection measures have also been reinforced along the Green Line and at key crossing points.
This marks a significant development, as the government-controlled areas had remained free of the disease until now, despite recent outbreaks in areas under Turkish Cypriot administration, reported by the Cyprus Mail.
The European Commission has supported containment efforts in those areas, including the provision of 500,000 vaccine doses earlier this year.
