Hungary deploys military to battle FMD outbreak

Hungary had deployed the army to help contain an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) near its borders with Slovakia and Austria. The country reported the first case of the disease in 50 years last month. Since then, neighbouring Slovakia has also reported several outbreaks, stepping up efforts to curb the spread. On Wednesday, April 2, Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy said new FMD cases were found at two farms in Gyor-Moson-Sopron county, affecting over 3000 cattle. At present, there are officially four outbreaks in the country, all located in farms in the northwest. Checks at more than 600 other farms have returned negative results.
Nagy said that the Hungarian government is launching additional measures to contain the outbreak, including disinfection points at border crossings and highway exits to prevent the spread of the disease beyond the northwestern region. The defence ministry has not clarified yet how it plans to use soldiers to assist in containment efforts. FMD is not dangerous for humans but causes severe illness in cloven-hoofed ruminants such as cattle and goats, leading to significant losses for farmers and livestock owners.