Approximately 14,000 animals have been affected and 13,000 face culling as foot-and-mouth disease spread to 11 livestock units across Larnaca district, prompting Cyprus to activate a national emergency plan and establish a round-the-clock crisis management centre.
The scale of the outbreak — confirmed across farms in Livadia, Oroklini, Troulli and Aradippou — triggered a large-scale meeting on Tuesday at the Zinon Coordination Centre, attended by the Ministers of Agriculture, Justice and Defence alongside representatives of all competent state services.
A 24-hour Crisis Management Centre has been established at Zinon under the Agriculture Ministry, bringing together all involved agencies for unified operational management and clear allocation of responsibilities.
Culling and burial of infected animals is already under way in line with national and European protocols. Culling of cattle began yesterday and is continuing; culling of the first sheep and goat units in Oroklini is being organised. Decontamination systems are in place and strict biosecurity measures are being enforced across all affected areas.
All 11 confirmed cases remain within the original 10km surveillance zone established when the first cases emerged in Livadia and Oroklini — a development Senior Veterinary Officer Soteria Georgiadou described as positive.
The primary case is a cattle unit in Livadia; the remaining ten are sheep and goat units.
Why wasn’t Cyprus vaccinating already?
The question of why authorities did not begin vaccinating in December — when cases first appeared in the occupied areas — dominated the public response to the outbreak.
Georgiadou was direct: under the rules of the World Organisation for Animal Health, disease-free countries are not permitted to vaccinate. Cyprus held that status until 21 February 2026. “From the moment a country is disease-free, it does not vaccinate,” she said.
The timeline moved fast once the status was lost. The first case appeared on 20 February. The World Organisation for Animal Health was notified immediately.
The European Commission was contacted about vaccines on 22 February. The Agriculture Minister discussed their dispatch on 23 February. An order for approximately half a million doses has since been placed; authorities are awaiting delivery.
Three European Commission experts are expected in Cyprus by Wednesday to provide technical support on managing the outbreak and the vaccination process.
“Today and tomorrow we expect our expert colleagues from the European Commission to arrive, to discuss the situation on the ground and on paper, and decisions will be taken accordingly,” Georgiadou said.
Since December, when cases appeared in the occupied areas, Veterinary Services had taken preventive measures including spraying at checkpoints, farmer notifications and sample-taking. “The Cyprus Republic has no control over what happens in the occupied areas,” Georgiadou said.
Halloumi exports holding — for now
Exports of Cypriot products are continuing normally. No restrictions have been imposed on halloumi milk — one of Cyprus’s most significant export products — and major markets including Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia have not reacted.
Australia had previously accepted Cypriot products following consultations between veterinary services and the Foreign Ministry when cases first appeared in the occupied areas.
“We had documented that there is no problem with our halloumi,” Georgiadou said. “Exports are continuing with various certificates and I hope we will continue in the same way.”
Georgiadou said vaccines would help contain the virus and that discussions on exported products would follow as the situation develops. Some countries had already removed Cyprus from their approved lists when cases first appeared in the occupied areas, she noted.
The scale: serious, but manageable for now
The 13,000 animals facing culling represent a small fraction of Cyprus’s total livestock population of approximately 500,000. “If you calculate the animal population island-wide, the percentage is very small,” Georgiadou said, describing the current situation as manageable.
The economic impact has not yet been assessed; an estimate is being prepared for parliament to enable compensation payments to affected farmers.
Farmers will be compensated for culled animals, and animal welfare protocols are being observed throughout the culling process, alongside health and safety measures for the personnel involved.
The source of transmission remains under police investigation. The virus can spread through the air, via products and via vehicles. Foot-and-mouth disease has recently been recorded in Slovakia and Hungary and in wild cattle in Germany, and is also endemic in parts of Asia.
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