The European Commission has placed the whole of Cyprus under the status of a “further restricted zone” due to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the livestock sector. The decision was taken following the increase in cases and concerns that containment measures were not implemented sufficiently, which could allow the disease to spread to the European market. The restrictions will remain in place at least until May 1, 2026, and mainly concern the movement of animals and exports of certain products.
So far, the virus has been detected in 38 livestock farms, mainly in the Larnaca district. The infected farms host approximately 25,000 animals in total, while more than 15,000 have already been culled as part of the “stamping-out” procedure used to eradicate the disease. The inability to immediately complete the culling, due to reactions from farmers, is considered by the European Commission to be a key reason for the tightening of the measures.
Halloumi is considered safe because during its production the temperature exceeds 90°C, while the virus is destroyed at 70°C.
The restrictions mainly concern products that have not undergone heat treatment, such as fresh meat, unprocessed milk, and animal by-products. In contrast, halloumi is exempt from the measures because during its production it is heated to temperatures above 90°C, which destroy the foot-and-mouth disease virus. For this reason, countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia continue to accept its exports.
At the same time, a nationwide animal vaccination campaign is underway in Cyprus. So far, more than 450,000 vaccine doses have been made available for cattle, sheep, and goats, while dozens of veterinarians from Cyprus and other European countries are participating in the effort. The aim of these measures is to limit the spread of the disease and protect both the livestock sector and trade within the European Union.
Sources: Philenews
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