FMD Low Risk and High Risk areas by DEFRA

[reynold]

Update 17:15 24 September
There are currently six Infected Premises. There is one Temporary Control Zone on the Hampshire/West Sussex border and in addition, a further Temporary Control Zone has today been established at a premises in Hampshire. A further slaughter on suspicion for Foot and Mouth Disease is taking place at a premises within the existing Egham Protection Zone.

Defra has also today published the latest Foot and Mouth Disease epidemiology report produced by the National Epidemiology Emergency Group. It concludes that Infected Premises 5 provides a link between the August and September cases with Infected Premises 5 probably being infected by mechanical transmission, either from the Pirbright site or one of the first two Infected Premises in the Elstead area. It also concludes that Infected Premises 3 and 4 were probably infected subsequently.

Based on the epidemiological report and the overall assessment of risk, two FMD risk areas will come into effect from 3.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday 25 September):

Risk Area: consisting of Essex, Kent, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Greater London.

Low Risk Area: The rest of England, Wales and Scotland. In England, farm to farm movements will be allowed also from 3.30pm Tuesday 25 September under stringent conditions and subject to high levels of biosecurity with enforcement by Local Authorities.

 

[Weezy]

What a horrible waiting game

 

[Patches]

Even though I've been quick to talk about vaccinating crippling farming etc etc, I fear the relaxing of the movement restrictions is too much, too soon.

If premises 5 had mechanical transmission from Pirbright or the other original sites are we talking about them having been ill for a while? Duncan (that's my hubby) read somewhere tonight that said reports suggested the lesions were at least 10 days old.

 

[RachelB]

This is horrible, it really brings it home when it comes so close like this... I live literally 2.5 miles from the new suspected Hampshire case (Little Buckholt Farm in West Tytherley, I'm within the TZ). I drove past (literally right outside) at 2pm today. I'm not going to college tomorrow until the test results have been declared negative, I'd feel just awful if it was positive and I'd been at college (we have cattle and sheep and everything there). Roll on lunchtime tomorrow

 

[reynold]

You're correct. The first Egham outbreak were steers and the farmer checked them daily but not closely - i.e. he must've done something like goto gate and count noses and make sure there were the right number standing alive.

It wasn't until he went to gather them for market when the restrictions were lifted in early sept. that he discovered the lesions which were then healing. The cattle had basically had the disease and recovered.

TBH bit of a pointless slaoughter in that case and a few of the others as there is no record of any fmd recovered animals spreading the virus suibsequently - even 'shedding' as a carrier has had NO reported infectious cases.

A carrier masked by vaccination is the main 'spin' against vaccination for fmd by defra. In fact although it is theoretically possible it has NEVER been recorded in areas when vaccination has been used and the animals not subsequently culled. (Portugal I think in the 70s - check on warmwell)