Reports from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut or German Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Germany Reports First Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Nearly 40 Years, Culls Water Buffalo in Brandenburg

Jan 10, 2025, 10:48 AM

Germany has reported its first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in nearly 40 years, with the disease confirmed in a herd of water buffalo in Hönow, Brandenburg, near Berlin. Three water buffalo in the Märkisch-Oderland district have died from the highly contagious virus, and the remaining herd is being culled to prevent further spread. The outbreak marks the first occurrence of FMD in Germany since 1988, according to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut. Measures are being implemented to contain the disease, which is not dangerous to humans but highly infectious among cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, swine, sheep, and goats. An exclusion zone of 3km and a monitoring zone of 10km have been established around the affected area, and no animals or products may be removed from these zones. The source of the infection is under investigation, with no plans for federal or international measures at this time.