Outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease continues in Paliometocho amid protests by farmers
A third pig farm in Paliometocho, housing approximately 5,000 animals, has confirmed a case of foot-and-mouth disease. This brings the total number of infected units across Cyprus to 102, consisting of 86 sheep and goat farms, 13 cattle units, and 3 pig farms. Veterinary services, represented by Sotiria Georgiadou, have indicated that the cull continues, with approximately 52,000 animals already culled, impacting about 10% of the livestock population. Vaccination progress has reached 73.8% for cattle and 60.56% for sheep and goats. Meanwhile, livestock farmers have threatened to block the Rizoelia roundabout, as well as airports and ports, on Thursday during an EU summit to protest the mass culls. A meeting between the Ministry of Agriculture, represented by Director General Andreas Grigoriou, and farmers' representative Stella Petrou is scheduled for Tuesday to address these grievances. Authorities have expressed concern over the politicization of the crisis, noting that some experts suggest the virus may have been circulating 15 days before official detection.