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Second disease outbreak confirmed Second disease outbreak confirmed
(about 2 hours later)
A second case of foot-and-mouth has been confirmed at a farm in Surrey. A second case of foot-and-mouth has been confirmed at another Surrey farm, near the site of the first outbreak.
Defra said 102 cows were culled at the farm in the 3km protection zone set up around the site of the first outbreak. Ministry Defra said 102 cattle had been culled at the site, inside the 3km protection zone around the farm where the virus was confirmed on Friday.
Meanwhile, Roger Pride, owner of the first herd to be culled, said in a statement he was shocked and devastated by the outbreak. Meanwhile Roger Pride, owner of the first herd to be culled, said he was "devastated". An overflowing sewer may have been a source, he suggested.
"It feels as if my whole world has been turned upside down," he said. The findings of a probe into the source of the outbreak at his farm are due later. Inspectors are due to confirm the source of that outbreak later.
In the statement read out at a National Farmers' Union press conference, Mr Pride said he noticed his cattle were off-colour and drooling last Thursday and called his vet - who advised him to contact Defra.
'Beyond our control''Beyond our control'
By the following evening, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had confirmed they had tested positively for foot-and-mouth, he said. In a statement, Mr Pride said he noticed last Thursday that his cattle were off-colour and drooling and called his vet - who advised him to contact Defra.
He said the farm had "always practised the highest standards of biosecurity" and no animals had been moved on or off the farm since early June. The following evening Defra confirmed the cattle had tested positively for foot-and-mouth, he said.
Mr Pride said Woolford Farm, near Guildford, had "the highest standards of bio-security" and no animals had been moved on or off the farm since early June.
He said he believed it was possible a sewer which overflowed into part of the field may have been the cause.He said he believed it was possible a sewer which overflowed into part of the field may have been the cause.
HOW FOOT-AND-MOUTH SPREADS Direct contact, from animal to animalFluid from an infected animal's blister; saliva, milk or dung also pass on the diseaseAnimals eating infected feedVirus can be spread by people, vehicles or roads, if not disinfected Airborne spread of disease also possibleAnimals can begin spreading virus before visible signs of disease emergeSource: DefraHOW FOOT-AND-MOUTH SPREADS Direct contact, from animal to animalFluid from an infected animal's blister; saliva, milk or dung also pass on the diseaseAnimals eating infected feedVirus can be spread by people, vehicles or roads, if not disinfected Airborne spread of disease also possibleAnimals can begin spreading virus before visible signs of disease emergeSource: Defra
"Whatever the cause of the outbreak, it is obvious that we've been the victims of circumstances far beyond our control," he said."Whatever the cause of the outbreak, it is obvious that we've been the victims of circumstances far beyond our control," he said.
On Tuesday, a Defra spokesman said laboratory results showed foot-and-mouth at the second site, not far from the first outbreak at Wollford Farm, near Guildford. The official findings of a Health and Safety Executive investigation into the source were due to be handed to ministers at 1300 BST, but is now expected later.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said vets first spotted signs of foot-and-mouth on the second farm on Monday, and a swift decision was taken to cull the animals. The strain of the virus found was being used at both private vaccine manufacturer Merial and the government-funded Institute for Animal Health, both based on the Pirbright complex, four miles away.
One line of inquiry is that floodwater may have contributed to the accidental release of the virus from one of the labs. Both say they are confident in their bio-security measures.
Swift decision
On Tuesday, a Defra spokesman said laboratory results had confirmed an outbreak at the second site.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said vets had spotted the signs on Monday, and a swift decision was taken to cull the animals.
He urged farmers to continue to examine their stock.He urged farmers to continue to examine their stock.
A 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone and a surveillance zone with a minimum radius of 10km (6.2 miles) is in place around the first site - an announcement is expected on whether it may be expanded later.
'Absolutely devastated'
The source of the second outbreak is unknown but virologist Professor Ian Jones said it was likely to have come from the original contamination source, not a secondary infection from Woolford Farm.
Farmer Laurence Matthews, who owns the land where the second outbreak struck, said the farmer whose cattle were culled, and his family, were "absolutely devastated".
Enlarge Map Enlarge Map
"We were starting to think that maybe this virus had been contained... now with this second outbreak this has set us back again," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. A 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone and a surveillance zone with a minimum radius of 10km (6.2 miles) is in place around the first site - an announcement is expected later on whether it may be expanded.
Farmer Laurence Matthews, who owns the land where the second outbreak struck, said the farmer whose cattle were culled, and his family, were "absolutely devastated".
"We were starting to think that maybe this virus had been contained... now with this second outbreak this has set us back again," he told the BBC.
"Most farmers... are very, very scared and all activity on farms has almost come to a standstill.""Most farmers... are very, very scared and all activity on farms has almost come to a standstill."
He criticised the failure to close all public footpaths in the protection zone and the fact that the ban on movement meant carcasses could not be transported to an incinerator. Vaccines ordered
Mr Benn said the issue of footpath closures would be investigated immediately.
A Defra spokesman said footpaths on contaminated premises had been closed off, but there were no plans as yet to close those within the protection zone.
Flood theory
Meanwhile, the findings of the Health and Safety investigation into the source of the first outbreak are also expected.
The strain of the virus found on Woolford farm was being used at both private vaccine manufacturer Merial and the government-funded Institute for Animal Health, both based on the Pirbright complex, four miles away.
FOOT-AND-MOUTH IN NUMBERS 97 cattle were culled from the first outbreak - 64 from infected premises, 33 from neighbouring premises. 102 were culled in the second outbreak111,000 farms across UK affected by movement banThat includes 10m cattle, 23m sheep and 5m pigs Send us your comments Outbreak 'nipped in bud' Lives on hold Ban 'could be lifted'
Chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds has said it was possible recent floods may have contributed to an accidental release of the virus from one of the labs.
It is thought contaminated water may have been incorrectly disposed of down a drain which then overflowed during heavy rain and carried the contaminated water on to farmland.
The government says no decision has been taken on whether to vaccinate livestock, but 300,000 doses have been ordered from Merial - to ensure it is ready if needed.The government says no decision has been taken on whether to vaccinate livestock, but 300,000 doses have been ordered from Merial - to ensure it is ready if needed.
The National Farmers' Union, which has opposed the use of vaccination in the past, said the government should have the capability to use it "as an option", depending on the "exact circumstances". The National Farmers' Union, which has opposed the use of vaccination in the past, said the government should have the capability to use it "as an option", depending on the circumstances.
NFU head of communications Anthony Gibson praised the response so far, saying: "I think that everything that could have been done, has been done. I think the lessons, so far, have been learned from what went wrong in the 2001 outbreak."NFU head of communications Anthony Gibson praised the response so far, saying: "I think that everything that could have been done, has been done. I think the lessons, so far, have been learned from what went wrong in the 2001 outbreak."
Security breach denied FOOT-AND-MOUTH IN NUMBERS 97 cattle were culled from the first outbreak - 64 from infected premises, 33 from neighbouring premises. 102 were culled in the second outbreak111,000 farms across UK affected by movement banThat includes 10m cattle, 23m sheep and 5m pigs class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7055&edition=1&ttl=20070803222614">Send us your comments class="" href="/1/hi/northern_ireland/6933911.stm">Outbreak 'nipped in bud' class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/6934257.stm">Ban 'could be lifted'
Both Merial and the institute have denied any breach in bio-security procedures, which are now being independently reviewed.
The government has banned the movement of all livestock across Britain, while the European Commission has formalised a ban on British exports of meat, milk products and live animals.The government has banned the movement of all livestock across Britain, while the European Commission has formalised a ban on British exports of meat, milk products and live animals.
Northern Ireland, which has imposed a ban on all cattle, sheep and pigs from Britain, has been excluded.Northern Ireland, which has imposed a ban on all cattle, sheep and pigs from Britain, has been excluded.
Trading standards officers in Lincolnshire confirmed on Monday they were investigating two cases of alleged illegal movement of livestock. Sir Donald Curry, who headed up an inquiry into the future of farming after the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak, said it was too early to lift the restrictions but it would soon be clear whether the "very virulent" disease had spread.
He added: "Provided the disease hasn't spread then within a few more days, government can consider relaxing other parts of the United Kingdom from the restrictions but we do have to be very certain."
He said that if livestock restrictions remained in place for weeks, "for many farming businesses this could be crippling".
"Hopefully this won't go on for weeks, the disease will be contained," he said.
There has been some criticism from some farmers, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives that footpaths inside the 3km protection zone have not been closed.
The government has said footpaths are closed on the infected premises, but others inside the zone remained open as veterinary risk assessments had shown the risk was negligible.
Defra said the countryside "remains open" to visitors.
The NFU has estimated the outbreak could cost "tens of millions of pounds", affecting not just farmers but related industries, such as abattoirs and meat packaging plants.The NFU has estimated the outbreak could cost "tens of millions of pounds", affecting not just farmers but related industries, such as abattoirs and meat packaging plants.
Defra has set up a helpline in response to the latest outbreak on 08459 335577.Defra has set up a helpline in response to the latest outbreak on 08459 335577.