The Slovak government imposed a nationwide state of emergency following confirmation of a fourth foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) case at a livestock farm in Lúč na Ostrove, Euractiv reported.
The measure, effective from 1 p.m. on Tuesday, grants authorities enhanced powers to contain the highly contagious animal disease. The state of emergency enables rapid deployment of veterinary teams and streamlined procurement of vaccines.
Crisis team headed by Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok convened on Tuesday evening.
Prime Minister Robert Fico warned of potentially “astronomical” damages to Slovakia’s agricultural sector, with meat and milk shortages likely to be the main challenge.
This is a deadly serious matter.
A fourth case of FMD was confirmed by Agriculture Minister Richard Takáč, prompting the authorities to take drastic action.
