Britain: Foot and mouth disease strikes again

Recently published reports confirmed that Pirbright was the source of this last outbreak, and imply that the government were ultimately responsible for allowing a lax biosecurity regime to exist at the site for the last three years at least.

Tests on the virus involved in the new cases of FMD show it is the same strain as the one that escaped the Pirbright site. The two farms at the centre of the new outbreak lie 10 miles from the government site. It is not clear at the moment how the two recent infections broke out as they occurred after the normally accepted incubation period following the first cases.

While agriculture makes up only a small part of the British economy, farmers are politically vocal and will demand compensation for culled animals and lost trade. Closing access to country areas also hits tourism, now the third largest economic sector after finance and pharmaceuticals.