Police search cars in search of meat

Slovakia
Outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease – borders closed

Oskar Forsberg

Updated 15.21 | Published 10.43

Foot-and-mouth disease can make cows seriously ill, but does not affect humans. Photo: Michael Probst / AP

Austria closes over 20 border crossings with Hungary and Slovakia.

The reason is the fear of a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

- It is very serious that the infection has entered the EU, says veterinarian Johan Beck-Friis.

Austria has closed several border crossings with its neighbors  Hungary and Slovakia, to try to limit the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and prevent it from entering the country.

Slovakia declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after the disease was found on three farms.

Hungary had its first outbreak of the highly contagious disease in 50 years on Wednesday, leading to the introduction of strong measures to limit the infection to an area bordering Slovakia and Austria.

Thousands of animals are currently being slaughtered in Hungary and Slovakia, reports Bild.de.

"The issue now is to clear the farms of all animals and ensure that there are no new cases," says Johan Beck-Friis, a veterinarian and lecturer at Linnaeus University.

Emergency slaughter

The diseases, which pose no danger to humans, mainly affect cattle and other ungulates such as pigs, sheep and goats.

Outbreaks often lead to trade restrictions and emergency slaughter.

"Protection zones are also established around the outbreaks. These can be quite large areas," says Johan Beck-Friis.

Austrian health authorities are currently carrying out rigorous checks at the few open border crossings with Hungary and Slovakia.

Cars must pass through an epidemic mat to prevent the spread of the virus. This measure also applies to pedestrians crossing the border on foot.

Border police are also searching vehicles for meat products.

Trucks in long queues at the border between Hungary and Slovakia in late March this year. Photo: Zoltan Mathe / AP

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Foot and mouth disease forces Austria to close

TT

Published 09.46

Archive image of checks at Slovakia's border with Austria. Photo: Theresa Wey/AP/TT

Outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Slovakia and Hungary have prompted neighboring Austria to close 24 border crossings there, the APA news agency reports.

The border crossings are closed until May 20. Austrian hunters are also advised to be on the lookout for symptoms in potentially infected game.

The border crossings that are still open have implemented enhanced control measures to ensure that no live animals or meat products are transported. Hikers crossing the borders on foot are also being checked.