Bulgaria Registers First Case of FMD in 12 Years

Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov has already spoken about the case. Photo by BGNES

The first case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has occurred in Bulgaria in the past 12 years on Wednesday.

A wild boar with FMD has been killed in the region of the southeastern Bulgarian city of Burgas. A 10 km security zone has been established and all vehicles passing through the region are being disinfected. All living animal trade in the Burgas region has been stopped.

The European Commission has already been informed about the accident.

FMD is highly contagious and, while it is not so dangerous for humans, a possible outbreak may cause severe economical damages, the Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov has explained.

"Bulgaria may face a ban on the export of animal products if the disease is to spread," Naydenov has said.

Several centers of infection have already been registered in Turkey.

FMD is a sometimes fatal viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic animals such as cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs. Humans are very rarely affected.

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