Veterinary services and the Agriculture Ministry are mobilising to halt a disease outbreak affecting Cyprus’s livestock, with a team of EU experts due on the island tomorrow.
The Veterinary Services are currently carrying out the culling and burial of infected animals to prevent further spread.
The process involves 13,156 animals in total, including 260 cows and 12,896 sheep and goats. These animals come from 11 infected farms—one cattle farm and 10 sheep and goat farms.
The arrival of the specialists coincides with the first batch of vaccines, marking the start of a vaccination campaign seen as the key to containing the crisis.
Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, who is in Brussels for meetings with EU officials, confirmed the bloc’s immediate response. “European solidarity is being put into practice. The presence of experts and the immediate supply of vaccines are our most powerful weapons to protect our farms and the primary sector,” the Minister said.
She also noted that she has requested financial assistance.Health and Food Safety Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi coordinated the procedures to ensure the doses reach Cyprus alongside the expert team.
The specialists will provide technical support and guidance to the Veterinary Services on the correct application of the vaccination protocol.According to the action plan, vaccinations will begin immediately after the doses arrive.
The campaign will initially focus on all livestock farms within a 5-10 kilometre radius of Oroklini. The aim is to create a protection zone around “ground zero” to prevent the disease from spreading to neighbouring areas.