Germany races to contain foot-and-mouth outbreak amid export fears
The Peninsula
Berlin: Germany was on Monday taking steps to limit the potential spread of foot and mouth disease, as the outbreak of the virus threatened to hit the...
Berlin: Germany was on Monday taking steps to limit the potential spread of foot-and-mouth disease, as the outbreak of the virus threatened to hit the country's agricultural exports.
South Korea and Mexico had told Berlin they would halt meat imports from Germany while the cases were being contained, a spokesman for Germany's agricultural ministry said.
"We now have to wait and see how this develops in the next few days," spokesman Michael Hauck told reporters at a regular press conference.
The head of the German farmer's union, Joachim Rukwied, said the disease was threatening livestock owners with "considerable" losses.
"Export markets will disappear," if the virus is allowed to spread, Rukwied told the Rheinische Post daily. "Speed and determination count. Everything must be done to contain this outbreak."
