Authorities have triggered emergency protocols following a confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease at a cattle farm in the Livadia area of Larnaca.
Following a broad meeting on Friday involving Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou and key stakeholders, officials finalised plans to contain the virus and protect the island’s livestock. Veterinary Services confirmed that five animals tested positive for the virus at a unit holding 260 cows.
The head of Veterinary Services, Christodoulos Pipis, announced that all 260 animals at the affected farm will be culled starting tomorrow. Disposal of the carcasses will follow established safety protocols.
A three-kilometre protection zone has been established around the site, placing 23 livestock premises under strict quarantine. Within this radius, the movement of animals and animal products is prohibited without prior approval. Veterinary teams will conduct daily inspections and sampling in the area to monitor for any spread.
Staff leave at the Veterinary Services has been cancelled, with veterinarians from other districts redeployed to Larnaca to assist with tracing and field checks. A wider 10-kilometre surveillance zone has also been established.
Pipis reassured the public that the disease poses no threat to human health and that there is no risk in consuming Cypriot meat or dairy products. He noted that pasteurisation ensures milk and its derivatives, such as halloumi, remain perfectly safe.
The department is currently investigating how the virus entered the unit, though Pipis noted that some factors may be beyond the service’s control. While vaccination is a tool available to EU member states, Pipis said it is not currently being considered as the outbreak is restricted to a single farm.
Affected farmers will be compensated for their lost livestock under the National Action Plan, with payments expected within one to two months. The government is also coordinating with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health, having recently facilitated the distribution of vaccines to the Turkish Cypriot community following cases in the north.