Slovakia imposes quarantine after foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

Slovakia has reported an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the western Trnava region, prompting quarantine measures and raising concerns among farmers, authorities said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Agriculture said the first cases were detected on farms in Trnava, where veterinary services confirmed the virus in cattle and pigs. 

Several infection hotspots were identified, leading the government to impose quarantine measures and temporarily ban the transport of animals and livestock products from affected areas.

Veterinarians have launched mass vaccinations of cattle and are tightening border controls to prevent the virus from spreading to neighbouring countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Austria.

Foot-and-mouth disease is an acute viral illness affecting cattle, pigs, and other cloven-hoofed animals. 

While not dangerous to humans, it causes significant economic losses, and farmers fear potential damage from mass culling and export restrictions.

The European Commission said it is ready to assist Slovakia.

Experts urged the public to follow veterinary guidelines and remain calm, while officials said the situation is currently under control.

In March, Slovakia declared a state of emergency for the whole country after there were four cases of the disease detected. It's after an outbreak was discovered in Hungary just 15 kilometres from the Slovak border near Bratislava, according to reports. 

Elsewhere this year in Europe, the disease was found in Germany in January, according to the UK government website.

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