No new cases of foot-and-mouth disease reported as incubation period ends

No new cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been discovered.

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While widespread fears of the disease have impacted German exports of livestock, meat and dairy, no new cases have been discovered. On 10 January, a case of foot-and-mouth disease was found in the town of Hönow, Brandenburg, on the outskirts of Berlin.

The response was immediate, with authorities searching the country for new cases. Some countries, such as the UK, Mexico and South Korea, have put import bans in place.

However, as of 28 January, no new cases have been found, reports Reuters.

Why is this significant?Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral infection and spreads rapidly.

However, the incubation period of the disease is around two to fourteen days. Now, with well over two weeks since the case was discovered, no new cases have yet been found.

Also read → How a foot-and-mouth outbreak could affect Germany and EuropeThis, according to Sandro Schulz, EMEA protein team lead at Expana, means that restrictions may begin to relax.

Fears have begun to subside as no new cases have been discovered. For example, the price of pig meat is stable as it looks more and more likely that the outbreak has been contained, said German livestock and meat production association VEZG last week.

Restrictions on moving animals were lifted on 17 January in Brandenburg and 27 January in Berlin. Berlin’s Zoo, which were also closed, reopened on 24 January. However, quarantine zones remain in place.

The Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Germany’s institute for animal health, has now identified the virus serotype, and can begin producing a vaccine to be on standby in case any new cases are found.

Nevertheless, the single case, and the subsequent response, has not been without dire consequences even without further cases.

Import bans resulting from the case have cost the German livestock industry €1bn, the head of the farming cooperatives association DRV said recently.