A case of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed within the government-controlled areas of Cyprus, after veterinary authorities on Friday detected the disease at a cow-breeding unit in Livadia, in the Larnaca district.<\/p>\n
The veterinary services placed the area under lockdown after laboratory confirmation of the highly contagious livestock disease, sealing off a three-kilometre radius around the affected unit and prohibiting the movement of animals and animal products without official authorisation.<\/p>\n
All 300 animals at the farm are to be culled as part of standard containment procedures.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a serious but manageable incident,\u201d a veterinary services official said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll prescribed protocols were activated immediately to prevent any further spread.\u201d<\/p>\n
The case marks a significant escalation, as no infections<\/a> had previously been confirmed in the Republic despite outbreaks in recent months in the north.<\/p>\n Until now, government authorities had focused on preventive surveillance, biosecurity controls and disinfection measures along the Green Line and at crossing points.<\/p>\n According to officials, the owner of the livestock unit in Livadia has been formally notified, while veterinary teams remain on site overseeing the operation and tracing potential contacts.<\/p>\n The sealed zone includes strict bans on the transport of livestock, milk and meat products unless cleared by veterinary services.<\/p>\n In a statement aimed at reassuring the public, veterinary services stressed that foot-and-mouth disease poses no risk to human health.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is absolutely no danger to consumers,\u201d the statement assured.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cPasteurised milk, halloumi and other animal products can be consumed safely, as they undergo pasteurisation and rigorous controls.\u201d<\/p>\n The confirmation in Livadia comes amid heightened alert levels across the island following outbreaks in the north, where thousands of animals have been vaccinated in recent months.<\/p>\n The European Commission has played a central role in supporting containment efforts there, including the delivery of 500,000 vaccines<\/a> from the European antigen bank to the Turkish Cypriot community earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis support allows for a rapid and coordinated response to emerging risks,\u201d the commission said at the time, acknowledging that quarantine, movement restrictions and disinfection protocols had already been imposed in affected northern villages.<\/p>\n On Friday, officials acknowledged that the Livadia case represents a turning point yet insisted it does not alter the overall assessment that the disease remains contained.<\/p>\n \u201cFoot-and-mouth disease<\/a> is highly contagious among animals, but it is not a public health issue,\u201d an official reiterated.<\/p>\n \u201cOur concern is strictly animal health and the protection of livestock production.\u201d<\/p>\n The agricultural ministry is understood to be closely monitoring developments, with additional checks expected at farms in the wider Larnaca district and along the Green Line<\/a>.<\/p>\n Surveillance teams are already conducting targeted inspections, while farmers have been reminded to reinforce biosecurity measures, including disinfection zones and controlled access to livestock areas.<\/p>\n