Newsroom
Cyprus’ Veterinary Services have confirmed three additional outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) within the containment zone of Dromolaxia-Meneou in Larnaca, following recent epidemiological checks and laboratory analysis. The update was delivered by Sotiria Georgiadou, who warned that the situation remains far from under control. When asked whether the crisis is nearing its end, she replied bluntly: “No. We are at the tip of the iceberg.”
The newly identified infections involve two sheep flocks totaling about 240 animals and one cattle herd of roughly 118 animals. With these additions, the total number of affected herds has risen to 49.
Authorities say they have fully implemented recommendations from the European Commission, continuing widespread investigations, contact tracing, testing, culling, and vaccinations. Slaughtering of infected livestock is ongoing in both Nicosia and Larnaca. So far, approximately 26,800 sheep and goats have been culled, a figure expected to climb to 30,000 soon.
Vaccination coverage is high, with 98% of cattle and 72% of sheep and goats having received initial doses. Booster shots have reached 30% of cattle and 9% of small livestock, while an additional 500,000 vaccine doses are due by early April to reinforce the campaign.
Easter supply and food safety
Despite the outbreak, preparations for Easter meat demand are moving ahead. Slaughter schedules for consumption are being coordinated to avoid overlap with culling operations, which take place later in the week. Georgiadou noted the strain on supply chains, explaining that “under normal conditions, demand amounts to approximately 30,000 lambs.”
Officials insist there is no risk to consumers. “Foot-and-mouth disease does not affect humans, and there is no risk from consuming meat or milk,” she said, emphasizing that “infected animals do not end up on the market, and there are strict controls at all stages.”
Ongoing response and sector impact
Cyprus continues to be classified as an infected country, with vaccination efforts expected to continue until the virus is eradicated. Georgiadou explained that vaccine effectiveness varies depending on how animals develop antibodies, and booster programs will remain in place until authorities reassess the situation.
Financial support has begun reaching affected farmers, starting with advance payments based on livestock losses. Full compensation will follow after detailed financial assessments, with additional support planned for feed and milk production losses.
The outbreak has also exposed structural issues within the livestock sector, particularly the high density of farms, which has accelerated transmission. Georgiadou expressed hope that the crisis will lead to long-term improvements: “I hope that this tragedy will serve as an incentive for livestock farmers to upgrade their operations, improve their facilities, implement better management practices, and resume operations under better conditions and with improved hygiene standards.”
Efforts are underway to modernize disease monitoring systems in collaboration with Stavros Malas and the University of Cyprus’ KOIOS Center. The upgraded platform is expected to provide real-time tracking of farms, infections, and testing data.
Scale of the outbreak
According to official figures, Cyprus has around 85,000 cattle, 490,000 sheep and goats, and 300,000 pigs. Approximately 1.5% of cattle farms and a similar share of sheep and goat farms have been affected so far, with overall livestock impact estimated at about 5.5%.
The outbreak, first detected on February 20, followed earlier cases reported in the island’s northern areas late last year. Since then, thousands of animals have been affected, primarily in Larnaca and later in Nicosia. Under EU rules, all livestock in infected zones must be culled, creating significant disruption across farming and related sectors.
Despite the scale of the crisis, key exports such as halloumi cheese remain unaffected. Authorities and experts continue to stress that FMD poses no danger to human health.
