Newsroom
A quiet corner of Geri turned into the center of a growing crisis this week after authorities uncovered cattle of unknown origin in a police-backed operation that’s raising serious questions and fears.
Officials from the Veterinary Services, accompanied by police, moved in on the area following a tip-off. What they found has only deepened concerns: a number of cattle with no clear records, no traceable origin, and potentially no health controls, right as Cyprus battles the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.
And this is where it gets worrying.
This isn’t just about paperwork or illegal farming. Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious. One infected animal can trigger a chain reaction that devastates entire herds, cripples farmers, and sends shockwaves through the food supply.
Until recently, the outbreak had been largely contained in Larnaca. Not anymore.
Cases have now been confirmed in the Nicosia district, including Dali and Geri, turning what was once a localized problem into a wider threat. Authorities are scrambling to contain it, ramping up inspections and zeroing in on suspicious operations like the one uncovered this week.
Veterinary teams, often escorted by police, are now entering infected farms to carry out strict procedures aimed at stopping the disease in its tracks. It’s a race against time and against human behavior.
Because behind the spread, officials fear, there may be illegal or unregulated animal movements. In simple terms: animals being bought, sold, or transported without proper checks.
So far, 41 livestock units have been confirmed infected.
That number alone is enough to ring alarm bells. But what’s more unsettling is what might still be out there, unregistered animals, hidden farms, or corners being cut.
Authorities haven’t said exactly where the mystery cattle came from. But the message is clear: in the middle of an outbreak, anything untraceable is dangerous.
