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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| New foot-and-mouth case suspected | New foot-and-mouth case suspected |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A suspected case of foot-and-mouth on a farm in Kent is being investigated, the UK's chief veterinary officer has said. | A suspected case of foot-and-mouth on a farm in Kent is being investigated, the UK's chief veterinary officer has said. |
| Debby Reynolds told the BBC a control zone has been set up around the farm, but did not say exactly where it is. | Debby Reynolds told the BBC a control zone has been set up around the farm, but did not say exactly where it is. |
| Cattle had been tested and officials were now awaiting the results, she said in an interview. | Cattle had been tested and officials were now awaiting the results, she said in an interview. |
| Dr Reynolds also said the case was similar to one in Dorking, Surrey, last week, where a suspected case turned out to be a false alarm. | Dr Reynolds also said the case was similar to one in Dorking, Surrey, last week, where a suspected case turned out to be a false alarm. |
| "That was negated, it was ruled out on laboratory testing," Dr Reynolds told the BBC's Southern Counties Radio. | |
| "And so we've now got the same situation in Kent and by probably the end of today, maybe early tomorrow, we'll know those laboratory test results." | |
| A spokeswoman for Defra said a temporary control zone was in place around a farm in Kent as a precaution against foot-and-mouth disease. | A spokeswoman for Defra said a temporary control zone was in place around a farm in Kent as a precaution against foot-and-mouth disease. |
| She said: "It's not unusual to put a temporary control zone in place. | She said: "It's not unusual to put a temporary control zone in place. |
| "We're being ultra-cautious at this point. There's a continuing need for relentless vigilance in response to foot-and-mouth disease." | "We're being ultra-cautious at this point. There's a continuing need for relentless vigilance in response to foot-and-mouth disease." |
| Aid package | Aid package |
| The BBC's environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee said three cattle in Kent have been tested after showing "clinical signs of the disease". | The BBC's environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee said three cattle in Kent have been tested after showing "clinical signs of the disease". |
| A spokesman for the National Farmers' Union said it was trying to find out more about the possible case and believed a 3km control zone had been put around the farm. | A spokesman for the National Farmers' Union said it was trying to find out more about the possible case and believed a 3km control zone had been put around the farm. |
| This is the first suspected case outside Surrey during the outbreak. | |
| Meanwhile, Culture Secretary James Purnell is set to announce a package of aid for the tourist industry after it was hit by flooding and foot-and-mouth. | Meanwhile, Culture Secretary James Purnell is set to announce a package of aid for the tourist industry after it was hit by flooding and foot-and-mouth. |
| He will announce the aid during a visit to two tourist attractions - the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and Hatton Country World in Warwickshire. | He will announce the aid during a visit to two tourist attractions - the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and Hatton Country World in Warwickshire. |