Border checks with Slovakia reinstated over foot-and-mouth disease

The Czech Republic reinstated random border checks with Slovakia on Friday morning after Slovak veterinary authorities confirmed the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease at three farms in the southern parts of the country. As of Friday, there is a ban on the import of sheep, goat, pig and cattle products from Slovakia and Czech farms have been ordered to implement emergency veterinary measures to prevent the possible spread of the disease to this country. The first outbreak appeared in Hungary some time ago and has now spread to Slovakia.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that is not transmissible to humans but is very dangerous for livestock farms. If the disease does occur, all animals in the holdings must be culled. The disease last occurred in Czechoslovakia in 1975.