Cyprus Times

Veterinary Services Shift Responsibility to Farmers in Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak

Published February 21, 2026, 12:06
Veterinary Services Shift Responsibility to Farmers in Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak

The Veterinary Services of Cyprus responded to complaints from farmers regarding the handling of the recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. They confirmed the quarantine of new livestock units in Oroklini but dismissed claims of inadequate information provided to affected farmers. An investigation has been announced into reports of potential concealment of cases by certain farms. The measures already in place in the Livadia area, where the virus was initially detected, will be extended to the two new units in Oroklini. This includes the establishment of restriction and surveillance zones, as well as a ban on the movement of animals and animal products. The goats and sheep in the Oroklini units will be culled and buried, as was done with the cattle in Livadia. The Veterinary Services emphasize that farmers were adequately informed and that samples are being taken for laboratory tests at farms within the restriction zone. The possibility that the source of the virus originated from feed imported from the occupied territories is also being investigated. The head of the Veterinary Services, Christodoulos Pipis, stated that the situation is being closely monitored and that all necessary actions are being taken to limit the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Cooperation with farmers is considered crucial for the success of the measures.