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The first outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Germany in nearly 40 years has been reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health. The outbreak started on January 9, 2025, on a backyard farm with 14 water buffalo in Hoppegarten, Märkisch-Oderland, Brandenburg.
The local authorities have taken control and protection measures. Further tests are being carried out at the National Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) to determine the exact nature of the virus. An FLI team is supporting the outbreak investigation on the ground.
The last outbreak of FMD in Germany was in Lower Saxony in 1988. The last outbreak in Europe was reported in Bulgaria in 2011. Prior to that, the United Kingdom was hit by a major FMD outbreak in 2001, followed by France, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
The FMD virus remains endemic in Turkey, the Middle East and Africa, many Asian countries, and parts of South America. Illegally imported animal products from these countries pose a constant threat to European agriculture.
FMD is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs). Many zoo and wild animals can also contract FMD.
January 10, 2025/ WOAH.
https://wahis.woah.org/
