Animal virus hits Irish RepublicFoot-and-mouth disease has spread to the Irish Republic despite stringent attempts to stop the virus spreading across the border from Northern Ireland.The Republic's Prime Minister Bertie Ahern told the Irish Parliament on Thursday that tests on tissue samples taken from sheep on a farm in north County Louth, near the border, had proved positive. Ireland is the third European country outside Britain to fall victim to the virus. The Netherlands confirmed three cases on Wednesday and one was identified in France last week. In the UK the number of confirmed cases reached 444 on Thursday -- and a leading scientist warned the outbreak was out of control and would not peak until May. The infected Irish farm is situated within a 10-kilometre (3.4-mile) exclusion zone placed around the holding in County Armagh where Northern Ireland's only outbreak of the disease was confirmed earlier this month. The Irish government introduced stringent measures against foot-and-mouth, including the deployment of police and troops along the border with Northern Ireland. Several public and sporting events were cancelled to discourage travel around the country -- including the traditional St Patrick's Day celebrations which generally attract hordes of foreign visitors to the capital Dublin. |
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