Reports from German health authorities

Germany Confirms First Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in 37 Years in Hönow, Brandenburg; 3 Water Buffalo Died

Jan 10, 2025, 12:01 PM

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), also known as Maul- und Klauenseuche, has been confirmed in Germany's Brandenburg region, marking the first occurrence in the country in 37 years since 1988. The disease was detected in a herd of 11 water buffalo in Hönow, on the outskirts of Berlin, with three buffalo in the Märkisch-Oderland district succumbing to the illness. German authorities have initiated measures to contain the highly infectious disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, swine, sheep, and goats but poses no danger to humans. The affected animals have been euthanized, and an exclusion zone of 3 kilometers and a monitoring zone of 10 kilometers have been established. Local authorities are investigating the source of the infection, with no plans for federal or international measures at this stage, according to Brandenburg's Agriculture Minister Hanka Mittelstädt. The last cases of FMD in Germany were reported in 1988, and the disease is known to occur regularly in regions like the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and parts of South America.