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More than 30,000 farm animals have been culled across Cyprus after authorities moved to contain outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in affected livestock units in Nicosia and Larnaca, the Agriculture Ministry said Monday, marking what officials hope is a turning point in the crisis.
In total, 28,516 sheep and goats and 1,910 cattle were killed as part of emergency measures aimed at stopping the highly contagious disease from spreading further among the island’s livestock population.
The ministry said all culling operations in infected units have now been completed, including the final livestock facility in Livadia, where officials discovered animals being kept illegally.
Authorities had already destroyed animals at that unit days earlier after a confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease. However, veterinary inspectors returned to find additional animals still inside the premises, prompting further culling measures.
So far, officials say no new cases of the disease have been detected, a development seen as encouraging after weeks of heightened concern among farmers and veterinary authorities.
Vaccination efforts are continuing nationwide, with the ministry reporting that 98% of cattle have received a first vaccine dose, along with 76% of sheep and goats. Second-dose coverage remains lower but ongoing, reaching 37.6% of cattle and 10.6% of sheep and goats.
Foot-and-mouth disease spreads quickly among cloven-hoofed animals and can devastate farms and rural economies, though it poses no direct risk to humans. Authorities have relied on rapid culling, strict inspections and mass vaccinations to contain the outbreak.
Officials say monitoring will continue in the coming weeks to ensure the virus does not re-emerge, while farmers remain on alert for any signs of new infections.
