No symptoms of FMD in Belgium

14 September 2007

BRUSSELS – The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) has mapped out the import of animals from Great Britain, where a new hotbed of food and mouth disease has been found.

No symptoms of the disease have been found in Belgium, the Agency said Thursday.

A total of 700 pigs, seven adult cattle and three calves have been brought to Belgium from Great Britain by six companies, says spokesperson Inge Jooris.

“Samples were taken from the animals and sent to the Centre for Research in Animal Medicine and Agrochemistry (CODA). The first results show no cause for concern,” says Jooris. The animals will remain under observation.

The spokesperson has also reported that additional investigation is being carried out into foot and mouth disease among animals infected with bluetongue.

FMD was found once again on a farm in southern England earlier this week. Six weeks ago there was a series of cases at farms there.

Subject: Belgian news