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| Foot-and-mouth transfer is probed | Foot-and-mouth transfer is probed |
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| Health inspectors are investigating the possibility that foot-and-mouth was transferred to a farm in Surrey by employees of a nearby research site. | Health inspectors are investigating the possibility that foot-and-mouth was transferred to a farm in Surrey by employees of a nearby research site. |
| One line of inquiry is that workers at vaccine manufacturer Merial, at Pirbright, could have picked up the infection because of drainage problems. | One line of inquiry is that workers at vaccine manufacturer Merial, at Pirbright, could have picked up the infection because of drainage problems. |
| The farmers' union has warned it could take legal action against anyone found responsible for the outbreak. | The farmers' union has warned it could take legal action against anyone found responsible for the outbreak. |
| Merial said there was no evidence the virus was spread by humans. | Merial said there was no evidence the virus was spread by humans. |
| 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: Defra Scottish restrictions relaxed | 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: Defra Scottish restrictions relaxed |
| It is understood that ongoing investigations have discovered a link between problems with drainage and the possible actions, accidental or deliberate, of Merial employees who may own or use allotments near to the farm where the outbreak began. | It is understood that ongoing investigations have discovered a link between problems with drainage and the possible actions, accidental or deliberate, of Merial employees who may own or use allotments near to the farm where the outbreak began. |
| BBC correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said she had been told that animal health inspectors had been looking at properties close to Woolford Farm, near Guildford, where the first cases were found on Friday. | BBC correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said she had been told that animal health inspectors had been looking at properties close to Woolford Farm, near Guildford, where the first cases were found on Friday. |
| A second outbreak was confirmed at a second farm on Monday. | A second outbreak was confirmed at a second farm on Monday. |
| On Tuesday, the Health and Safety Executive found there was a "strong probability" the foot-and-mouth outbreak began at the Pirbright research site, home to Merial and the state-run Institute for Animal Health. | On Tuesday, the Health and Safety Executive found there was a "strong probability" the foot-and-mouth outbreak began at the Pirbright research site, home to Merial and the state-run Institute for Animal Health. |
| But it did not specify which of the two facilities was to blame. | But it did not specify which of the two facilities was to blame. |
| 'Surface leak' | 'Surface leak' |
| The executive said there was a "negligible" risk it had been spread by the wind or flooding. | The executive said there was a "negligible" risk it had been spread by the wind or flooding. |
| See layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge Image | See layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge Image |
| But its report said the disease could have been the result of human movement or "accidental or deliberate transfer". | But its report said the disease could have been the result of human movement or "accidental or deliberate transfer". |
| Vaccine manufacturer Merial had been involved in "large scale production" of the strain - about 10,000 litres - while the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) had been carrying out "small scale" experiments, it said. | Vaccine manufacturer Merial had been involved in "large scale production" of the strain - about 10,000 litres - while the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) had been carrying out "small scale" experiments, it said. |
| In a statement, Merial said: "Over the last three and a half days we have conducted intensive internal investigations and, as a result, continue to have complete confidence in our processes and procedures for health, safety and environmental protection, quality control, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. | In a statement, Merial said: "Over the last three and a half days we have conducted intensive internal investigations and, as a result, continue to have complete confidence in our processes and procedures for health, safety and environmental protection, quality control, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. |
| "To date, we have not been able to establish any evidence that the virus may have been transported out of our centre by humans." | "To date, we have not been able to establish any evidence that the virus may have been transported out of our centre by humans." |
| The company also said it "does not release water from the shared Pirbright site. | The company also said it "does not release water from the shared Pirbright site. |
| Enlarge Map | Enlarge Map |
| "We ensure that the water we use in our virus production is treated. We then transfer it to the IAH who treat it further and release it." | "We ensure that the water we use in our virus production is treated. We then transfer it to the IAH who treat it further and release it." |
| Microbiology expert Hugh Pennington said it was possible there had been "some sort of surface leak at Pirbright". | Microbiology expert Hugh Pennington said it was possible there had been "some sort of surface leak at Pirbright". |
| "Then perhaps feet, motor car tyres or something like that could have transported it down a bit further south into Surrey," he told BBC News. | "Then perhaps feet, motor car tyres or something like that could have transported it down a bit further south into Surrey," he told BBC News. |
| Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said further inquiries would be carried out into drainage on the Pirbright site and the possibility that the strain had been released by human movement would be investigated further as "a matter of urgency". | Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said further inquiries would be carried out into drainage on the Pirbright site and the possibility that the strain had been released by human movement would be investigated further as "a matter of urgency". |
| Following criticism from some farmers and opposition parties, he also ordered that all footpaths within the 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone should be closed with immediate effect. | Following criticism from some farmers and opposition parties, he also ordered that all footpaths within the 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone should be closed with immediate effect. |
| READ THE FINDINGS href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/07_08_07_pirbright.pdf">Initial report into Pirbright site by Health and Safety Executive [94.5KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | |
| Isolation hope | Isolation hope |
| Meanwhile, National Farmers' Union (NFU) president Peter Kendall told BBC Two's Newsnight programme the union was considering legal action. | Meanwhile, National Farmers' Union (NFU) president Peter Kendall told BBC Two's Newsnight programme the union was considering legal action. |
| He said: "If this turns out to be a commercial company that has been and can be shown to have been careless in any way, my members are already very loudly saying, 'we've lost money, our businesses are no longer able to function, we've got animals, extra feed costs, problems with capacity being squeezed on farms'." | He said: "If this turns out to be a commercial company that has been and can be shown to have been careless in any way, my members are already very loudly saying, 'we've lost money, our businesses are no longer able to function, we've got animals, extra feed costs, problems with capacity being squeezed on farms'." |
| Claims could run into millions of pounds, he added. | Claims could run into millions of pounds, he added. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "hopeful" a second report would be published on Wednesday. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "hopeful" a second report would be published on Wednesday. |
| 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 | 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 |
| "We will continue these investigations so we get an isolation of the disease itself, and an isolation of the cause of the disease," he said. | "We will continue these investigations so we get an isolation of the disease itself, and an isolation of the cause of the disease," he said. |
| About 200 cattle have been culled on the two farms since Friday and the government has banned the movement of all livestock across Britain - although some restrictions have now been relaxed in Scotland. | About 200 cattle have been culled on the two farms since Friday and the government has banned the movement of all livestock across Britain - although some restrictions have now been relaxed in Scotland. |
| Meanwhile, EU veterinary and food safety experts will meet in Brussels later to formally assess the UK government's response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak. | Meanwhile, EU veterinary and food safety experts will meet in Brussels later to formally assess the UK government's response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak. |
| The commission has already said it is satisfied the government is doing everything it can. | The commission has already said it is satisfied the government is doing everything it can. |
| 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. |