BERLIN – The government of a region in eastern Germany announced on Friday that it is lifting a transport ban on animals that had been put in place after foot-and-mouth disease was discovered in a herd of buffalo. In recent days, no additional cases of the disease have been reported.
Authorities revealed that the outbreak began when a farmer located in Hoenow, near the outskirts of Berlin, found three deceased buffalo among his herd of fourteen. Subsequent testing confirmed foot-and-mouth disease in one of the deceased animals, leading to the decision to cull the remainder of the herd.
The origin of the infection remains uncertain. Historically, Germany has not encountered an outbreak since 1988, with the last occurrence in Europe dating back to 2011, as stated by the animal health institute in Germany.
In response to the initial outbreak, a ban on the transport of various livestock—including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, as well as other cloven-hoofed animals like camels and llamas—was implemented in Brandenburg, the expansive agricultural region surrounding Berlin. Additionally, the two zoos in the German capital closed their doors as a precautionary measure. The annual agricultural event, Green Week, commenced in Berlin on Friday without the participation of animals with cloven hooves.
The Brandenburg state agriculture ministry indicated that the transport ban would not be renewed after it lapses at midnight on Friday, citing a lack of evidence suggesting that the foot-and-mouth disease is spreading. However, it confirmed that a protection and surveillance zone will still remain active around the site of the initial outbreak.
The disease itself is caused by a virus that primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals. Although the overall mortality rate is generally low, the disease can lead to symptoms such as fever, a lack of appetite, excessive salivation, and blisters in affected animals.
Foot-and-mouth disease can easily spread through direct contact or airborne transmission, posing a risk of infecting entire herds. Furthermore, humans can facilitate the spread of the virus through contaminated farming equipment, footwear, clothing, and vehicle tires that have been in contact with the infected animals.
