Newsroom
The European Union is stepping in to help stop the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the Turkish Cypriot community, announcing it will provide 500,000 vaccine doses to contain the outbreak and protect livestock.
The European Commission said the vaccines will be rolled out in the coming weeks and will target all animals that are vulnerable to the highly contagious disease. The goal is simple: stop the virus in its tracks before it spreads further and causes wider damage to animal health and farming livelihoods.
The move follows the detection of foot-and-mouth disease last December in the occupied village of Lapathos. Since then, local authorities and animal health officials have taken emergency measures, including quarantines, restrictions on animal movement, disinfection procedures, and tighter biosecurity rules on farms.
According to the Commission, the EU has already been actively supporting these efforts through its Assistance Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community. That support has included diagnostic tests, testing equipment, disinfectants, protective clothing, and other essential supplies needed to manage the outbreak on the ground.
EU funding has also made it possible to bring in teams of private veterinarians to boost local capacity, helping with both disease control and the upcoming vaccination campaign. The Commission said this cooperation has allowed for a faster and more coordinated response to the outbreak.
Foot-and-mouth disease does not pose a risk to humans, but it can be devastating for livestock, spreading rapidly among cattle, sheep, goats and pigs and leading to major economic losses if left unchecked.
The Commission stressed that it will continue working closely with local actors to strengthen preparedness and response, improve biosecurity measures and reduce the risk of future outbreaks, underlining that animal health threats do not stop at borders.
