Foot and Mouth Disease crisis in Slovakia
In Slovakia, the first cases of FMD were confirmed at three farms in the South of Slovakia on March 21st, in Baka, Medveďov and Ňárad.
Other cases were confirmed on March 25th in Lúč na Ostrove. Given the impact of these outbreaks on the country, the Slovak government declared a state of emergency for the whole country on 24 March and is managing this crisis on a prime ministers level.
As of March 28th, the Slovak veterinary service (national and regional) the following restrictions and obligations on all breeders and owners of susceptible animals are in place:
- The movement of susceptible animals is prohibited except for necessary transport within the same holding and transport to an approved slaughterhouse in Slovakia.
- The movement of animals from holdings located in restricted zones is governed by veterinary measures.
- Any import and transit of susceptible animals through road border crossings on the border with Hungary is prohibited, with the exception of the Šahy – Parassapuszta border crossing.
- (Partial) export bans are in place for export of susceptible animals to Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, South Korea and Bosnia and Hercegovina.
- It is prohibited to drive vehicles over 3.5 tons through border crossings with Hungary in the Bratislava, Trnava and Nitra regions, with the exception of the border crossings Čunovo – Rajka motorway D2, Medveďov – Vámosszabadi, Komárno – Komárom, Štúrovo – Esztergom and Šahy – Parassapuszta.
- Not authorized persons are not allowed to enter farms of susceptible animals.
- It is prohibited to navigate vessels transporting susceptible animals on the Slovak section of Danube waterway.
- Vehicles and persons are allowed to enter Slovakia only after passing through disinfection mats at road border crossings on the borders with Hungary from Bratislava to Slovenské Nové Mesto.
- Throughout Slovakia the use of appropriate disinfectants when entering and exiting buildings for susceptible animals are required.
- It is ordered to assure cleaning, disinfection and, where necessary, disinfestation and treatment of means of transport and other vehicles and equipment that have been used to transport susceptible animals, or materials that may be contaminated.
- It is obligatory to report suspicion of a disease with symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease to the relevant regional veterinary and food administration without delay.
- Disposing of dead animals must be done in a processing facility or in a designated burial ground under the supervision of an official veterinarian.
- It is prohibited to organize mass events, markets, exhibitions and gatherings of susceptible animals. It is ordered to close all facilities for exhibiting animals to the public, including zoos and circuses in which susceptible animals are kept.
The Polish and Czech authorities have implemented preventive measures at their respective borders with Slovakia, such as the need for cleaned and sometimes disinfected trucks in line with the EU Animal Health Law. For more information and updates, follow State Veterinary and Food Authority and Ministry of Agriculture.