Alarm mood in Brandenburg: mouth and claw disease threatened cattle!

Alarm mood in Brandenburg: mouth and claw disease threatened cattle!

alarm mood in Brandenburg: Due to a breakout of the mouth and claw disease (MKS), a ban on animal transport will be issued for 72 hours. This decision was made by the State Economic Minister Hanka Mittelstädt (SPD) after a case of MKS was confirmed in a water buffalo herd in Hönow, near the Berlin city limits on January 10, 2025. It has been the first outbreak of this disease in Germany for around 35 years, which makes the situation particularly worrying.

The affected animals include cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and camelids, which includes camels, alpacas and llamas. This high-containing viral infection not only affects claw animals, but can also affect zoo and wild animals. The mouth and claw disease is harmless to humans, but the health and socio-economic consequences can be serious.

measures to control the disease

After the outbreak, measures were initiated immediately to kill the affected animals and set up the blocking zones to prevent the virus from spreading. Epidemiological studies to clarify the epidemic jump and to identify possible contact companies are carried out in cooperation with the Friedrich Loeffler Institute.

The zoo and the zoo in Berlin are currently also closed as a protective measure for the animals. The crisis rods of the Märkisch-Oderland district have already advised Agriculture Minister Mittelstädt about further action. The exact extent of the disease and the transmission path have so far been unclear what the situation is also complicated for the authorities.

background information on mouth and claw disease

The mouth and claw disease is a worldwide-widespread animal disease that has not occurred in Germany since 1988. The virus can be transferred through lively and inanimate vectors and is able to spread over large distances with the air. Under hygienic conditions there is no danger for people, so pasteurized milk and dairy products are still harmless.

The current outbreak event raises the important questions of how the plague has not shown itself in the country for so long and whether the local requirements for animal husbandry are sufficient to prevent such occurrences in the future. The next few days should therefore not only be decisive for combating the existing epidemic, but also for the long -term strategy in dealing with animal health in Germany.

summarized news.de Measured measures, while Tagesspiegel emphasizes the historical and current dimensions of the disease. The information about the illness itself can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture