Foot and mouth disease

The devastating livestock disease is sweeping across Bali and poses an $80 billion economic threat to Australia.

It causes fever, lameness, and lesions on the tongue, feet, snout, and teats. The disease infects cloven-hoofed animals and does not affect the health of humans. Just one positive case of foot and mouth on an Australian farm could shut the $27 billion livestock export trade down for months or even years. “We have detected foot and mouth disease and African swine fever viral fragments in a small number of pork products for sale in the Melbourne CBD that were imported from China,” Watt said on Wednesday. An outbreak on Indonesia’s main island of Java has spread to the popular tourist island of Bali, which is visited by more than 1 million Australians a year, ramping up the risk of a first-ever outbreak in livestock Down Under. Foot and mouth disease and swine fever have been detected in animal products in Australia before. Pork products that were for sale in the Melbourne CBD were also found during routine inspections to contain viral fragments of both foot and mouth disease and African swine fever – another livestock disease that has not previously circulated among animals in Australia.

Agriculture minister says disinfectant mats will be installed to prevent arrival of the disease, which is spreading in Indonesia.

These flights are subject to biosecurity screening of all passengers and crew.” “You don’t have to go to the rural areas to come across livestock. “It’s completely justifiable that people are concerned. It’s a horrible virus that would lead to significant impact, but there are a wide range of measures in place that just aren’t particularly visible to the community,” he said. But according to Aaron Dodd, an expert in biosecurity at the University of Melbourne, there are a large number of additional biosecurity controls that have been put in place in Indonesia, at Australia’s borders, and onshore that he fears are getting lost in the conversation. “These sanitation mats will be a physical reminder to passengers to do the right thing to limit any spread of FMD, and will be used in conjunction with our current measures, such as passenger declaration, 100% profiling of all passengers entering from Indonesia, real time risk assessments, questioning and shoe cleaning,” Watt said on Wednesday.

Traces of a devastating virus have been detected at the Australian border, with popular supermarket products also seized. Ellen Ransley and James Morrow.

Senator Watt said it was the first time he was aware of foot and mouth disease fragments being detected in a retail setting. It is understood it can not be confirmed this product adequately complied with import requirements designed to address biosecurity risks,” NFF President Fiona Simson said. Nationals leader David Littleproud has accused the federal government of being “asleep at the wheel” after fragments of foot in mouth disease virus were found in pork products in Melbourne. Increased surveillance has been introduced at international airports, culminating in the discovery of foot and mouth fragments in an undeclared beef product. Viral fragments of foot and mouth disease have been detected in products for sale at Aussie supermarkets. Foot and mouth disease fragments detected in Aussie supermarkets

Australia has detected traces of foot-and-mouth disease on imported animal products, deepening fears about a potential outbreak that could devastate the ...

Senator Watt said on Wednesday that viral traces of FMD and African swine fever had been detected on pork products for sale in the Melbourne CBD. In another ...

“At one level, these detections are very disturbing – that we see the viral fragments, not live virus but viral fragments, coming in via product. The disease affects cloven-hooved animals but poses no risk to humans. The mats contain a citric acid solution, designed to dislodge any dirt from the sole of the shoe and cover it in the acid. They were intended as a physical reminder to travellers about the risk of the disease, Senator Watt said. African swine fever is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs that is widespread in Asia and parts of Europe. It has no vaccine and kills about 80 per cent of the pigs it infects, although it also poses no risk to humans. Senator Watt said on Wednesday that viral traces of FMD and African swine fever had been detected on pork products for sale in the Melbourne CBD.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said sanitation mats will be used at international airports for travellers returning from Indonesia to curb the spread of ...

Travellers arriving in Australia from Indonesia will be asked to walk across the mats to sanitise their shoes. "If you try to bring or post products into the country, you will be caught and we will take action." It's the first time viral fragments have been detected in a retail setting, Senator Watt said.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said today an undeclared beef product detected at an Australian airport had been found to contain the devastating disease. The ...

"At one level, these detections are very disturbing. An outbreak in Indonesia in recent months has been the focus of attention from Australian authorities. Foot and mouth diseasehas been detected in Australia after warnings an outbreak could deliver an $80 billion blow to the economy.

A WA farmer is concerned information about foot-and-mouth disease seems to be focused on an outbreak in Australia rather than what is being done to stop it ...

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development foot-and-mouth disease preparedness coordinator Bruce Mullan said there was interest in more events from across the community and not just farmers. She said the crowd could have doubled in a larger venue as farmers travelled from hundreds of kilometres away. - Workshop caters to farmers concerned about the potential impact of foot-and-mouth disease incursion

Viral fragments of foot and mouth disease have been discovered in pork products for sale.

Biosecurity measures continue to be ramped up in response to the threat. National Rural Affairs reporter, focusing on rural politics and issues. "Let's say for argument's sake [the virus] is in a piece of salami that gets imported to Australia, people eat most of the salami and throw the rest of it in the pig scraps - if pigs were to eat that, that could transmit the virus in Australia," Mr Watt said. Mr Watt said investigations into how the products came into the country were underway and if any offences were found, prosecutions were likely. It's not the first time viral fragments of both diseases have been found at the nation's borders, however it is believed to be the first time fragments have been discovered in a retail setting. VIRAL fragments of foot and mouth disease have been discovered in pork products for sale in the Melbourne CBD, while several other pork products tested positive for African swine fever fragments.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD), an outbreak that could threaten the livestock industry, has been detected in the country.

“At one level, these detections are very disturbing – that we see the viral fragments, not a live virus but viral fragments, coming in via product. Humans can also carry the disease on their shoes, clothes, and even noses – where it can survive 24 hours. “At another level, these detections show that our borders are strong and our biosecurity systems are working.”

Viral fragments of foot and mouth disease have been discovered in pork products for sale.

Biosecurity measures continue to be ramped up in response to the threat. National Rural Affairs reporter, focusing on rural politics and issues. "Let's say for argument's sake [the virus] is in a piece of salami that gets imported to Australia, people eat most of the salami and throw the rest of it in the pig scraps - if pigs were to eat that, that could transmit the virus in Australia," Mr Watt said. Mr Watt said investigations into how the products came into the country were underway and if any offences were found, prosecutions were likely. It's not the first time viral fragments of both diseases have been found at the nation's borders, however it is believed to be the first time fragments have been discovered in a retail setting. VIRAL fragments of foot and mouth disease have been discovered in pork products for sale in the Melbourne CBD, while several other pork products tested positive for African swine fever fragments.

Toilet paper panic emptied shelves nationwide ahead of COVID-19 lockdowns, but farmers warn consumers face supermarkets devoid of meat and dairy products ...

It can be carried on clothing, meat, dairy products and in human noses, and can remain infective for up to a month in the right conditions. “One thing that does concern me is that in a few months time it will have fallen out of the media as all stories do, but the threat will still be there,” he said. Kimberley pastoralist David Stoate said while the public may be aware of the threat now, it was likely the Indonesian outbreak would take a long time to resolve, and urged the public to maintain their vigilance. However, Hassell said vigilance was necessary because there was a risk that once it got into the country and into wild populations of pigs it would be difficult to permanently eradicate. Farmers and authorities agree Australia is in a better position to avoid wide-scale destruction of livestock like in the UK, thanks to the separation of farms. ‘One thing that does concern me is that in a few months time it will have fallen out of the media as all stories do, but the threat will still be there.’Kimberley pastoralist David Stoate

John Wyld, beef producer and vice-president for the Cattle Council,on his FMD is highly contagious, and humans can act as a source of infection for animals. ( ...

"Steps can be taken to remove the risk of transmission through contaminated clothing or dirty shoes." "Steps can be taken to remove the risk of transmission through contaminated clothing or dirty shoes." Contaminated equipment and clothing can also spread the virus to animals. "FMD virus can also be spread on wool, hair, grass or straw; by the wind; or by mud or manure sticking to footwear, clothing, livestock equipment or vehicle tyres," it writes. Can humans pass foot and mouth disease to animals? "FMD virus can also be spread on wool, hair, grass or straw; by the wind; or by mud or manure sticking to footwear, clothing, livestock equipment or vehicle tyres," it writes.

With foot and mouth disease now in Indonesia, Australia is on alert to stop it spreading here. What is the disease, and why are the stakes so high?

If foot and mouth disease was detected on a farm, that property would be isolated and any movements of the animals in prior weeks could be traced. The general manager of Emergency Preparedness, Animal Health and Biosecurity at Animal Health Australia, Sam Allan, says unless there is a factor “very out of the blue” the chief veterinary officer would follow the guidance outlined in the AUSVETPLAN. “And if that material then gets in contact with pigs and they eat it, that can cause an outbreak, like how people suspect it started in the UK.” All in all, the damage from a foot and mouth outbreak could cost the country $80 billion, the government has said. The UK foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001, believed to have been caused by pigs unwittingly being fed infected meat, forced farmers to destroy more than 6 million pigs, cows and sheep, costing an estimated £8 billion. Infected feral animals are uncontained and could, potentially, spread the disease between farms even if movements of farmed livestock have been locked down. Then, in 1897, German bacteriologist Friedrich Loeffler was the first to show that the disease was caused by a virus. The first recorded mention of the disease was by a Franciscan monk in Venice in 1546. It causes rashes, ulcers, bumps or blisters in the mouth, palms, fingers and soles of feet, mostly in children. And it can affect the hearts of young animals, which can lead to their death. Now, viral fragments of foot and mouth disease have been detected in goods coming into Australia. With foot and mouth disease now in Indonesia, Australia is on alert to stop it spreading here.