UK Govt Undertaking Major Effort To Isolate FMD

Major effort to isolate disease - PM

The Government is undertaking a "major effort" to "isolate and control" the foot and mouth outbreak in Surrey, the Prime Minister has said.

Speaking to journalists in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said that a total of 46 premises had been checked for the traces of the virus with all but two returning negative results. Efforts to contain the outbreak had been "intensive" and were now being "stepped up", he said.

Referring to an interim report from the Health and Safety Executive released this evening, Mr Brown added that the chances of the virus being transmitted by air or by surface water from the Pirbright facility, which houses the Merial company and the Institute for Animal Health, were "negligible". The investigation would now look at the drainage systems at the Merial plant as well as the possibility of human transmission, with a further report expected tomorrow, he added.

Mr Brown said that the national ban on the transport of livestock was an "important part of our strategy" and would remain in place. He thanked the farming community throughout the UK for their co-operation and promised increased compensation for the two farming enterprises directly affected.

Earlier today the Government's Chief Veterinary Officer, Debby Reynolds, confirmed that foot and mouth infection had been found at a second farm and that a total of 97 animals had been culled on Monday evening. This was in addition to the cull carried out on Saturday at the initial infection site near Wanborough.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs also announced that exclusion zones enforced over the weekend had been extended, and footpaths within the zone closed, as a result of the second infection.

ENDS

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