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Foot-and-mouth strain identified Foot-and-mouth strain identified
(10 minutes later)
The strain of foot-and-mouth disease found at a Surrey farm has been identified, the BBC understands. The strain of foot-and-mouth disease found at a Surrey farm has been identified, Defra has said.
The strain is one not normally found in animals and is linked to vaccines.The strain is one not normally found in animals and is linked to vaccines.
It is the same strain as that used at the Institute for Animal Health at Pirbright, which is three miles from the farm at the centre of the outbreak. It is identical to the strain used at the Institute for Animal Health at Pirbright, three miles from the farm.
An assessment of biosecurity at the Pirbright institute, where research into foot-and-mouth is conducted, has already been started. Defra could not say the laboratory was the source but it has increased the size of the protection and surveillance zones covering farms in the area.
A 3km protection zone has been put in place around the farm, close to the village of Wanborough, to try to halt the spread of the disease which wreaked havoc across the UK in 2001. An assessment of biosecurity at the Pirbright institute, where research into foot-and-mouth is conducted, had already been started.
The UK's chief vet and Prime Minister Gordon Brown have both said one of the possible sources of the outbreak was the Pirbright laboratory.
The BBC understands that on the same site as the lab is a private company which has suspended manufacture of the vaccine.
There have been further culls of other herds of cattle surrounding the farm as a precautionary measure.
Paul Temple, of the National Farmers' Union, said: "It will take several days before we know exactly what the situation is. Until we know definitively I remain open-minded."