Number of Confirmed Foot-and-mouth Cases Rises in Britain

The number of confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease on UK farms has risen to 11, despite crisis measures set up to stem the outbreak.

Ministry of Agriculture officials said on Monday the eleventh case had been confirmed at a farm in Llancloudy, Herefordshire.

The announcement followed confirmation of outbreaks at a farm in Westerhope, Northumberland, an abattoir in Bromham, in west Wiltshire, and at a farm in Hatherleigh in Devon.

European countries have launched a series of emergency measures to prevent the disease hitting their livestock.

Some newly-imported British animals have been slaughtered in the Netherlands, and Germany has imposed quarantines on several farms after confirming the presence of UK livestock.

Tests were still being carried out at an abattoir in Anglesey, north Wales, on Monday as the burning of slaughtered animals continued at the suspected source of the outbreak in Heddon-on-the- Wall, Northumberland.

Confirmation of the Devon and west Wiltshire cases destroyed hopes that the disease had been contained by mass slaughter and a seven-day ban on livestock movement.

Agriculture Minister Nick Brown said: "It is developing very quickly. Now is the time we would expect to find further outbreaks. "

Brown is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons about the outbreak on Monday before flying to Brussels to brief other EU agriculture ministers.

Scudamore said the tests were carried out at the Hatherleigh farm after two cattle displayed symptoms of foot-and-mouth out of herds of 60 cattle and 20 sheep.

He said the affected Wiltshire abattoir was believed to have taken delivery of animals from at least one of the infected Devon farms.

There were 1,400 sheep and 30 cattle at the abattoir when the alarm was raised.

More than 2,000 pigs, sheep and cattle have so far been culled nationwide as the disease tightens its grip on the farming industry.

The outbreaks have forced scores of organizations to cancel meetings and two schools in Northumberland closed on Monday for fear of spreading the disease.

Hunting has been suspended, several zoos closed their doors and three Royal parks in London - Richmond Park, Bushy Park and Hampton Court Park - have been shut to the general public from midnight on Sunday to protect deer herds.

The outbreak was first discovered almost a week ago and has now spread the length of England.






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