Cyprus government forms advisory committee as foot-and-mouth disease cases rise

The Cypriot Ministry of Agriculture, led by Minister Maria Panayiotou, has established a seven-member scientific advisory committee to manage the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The committee, including experts such as Dr. Sotiria Georgiadou and Dr. Dimitris Epameinondas, aims to coordinate clinical and laboratory responses. As of the latest reports, 38 farms have been affected by the virus. Authorities are currently enforcing mandatory culling protocols in line with European Union regulations, a policy that has faced criticism from the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, who called for the Minister's resignation over the handling of the crisis. Meanwhile, the Department of Forests and the Game and Fauna Service have implemented strict measures, including closing moufflon enclosures in Platania and Stavros tis Psokas and banning hunting in affected areas to prevent the spread of the virus to wildlife. Veterinarians argue that while vaccination is being considered, total culling remains the standard EU-mandated approach to contain the highly contagious disease. Tensions remain high as stakeholders debate the effectiveness of these measures versus the economic impact on the agricultural sector.