Britain acts to contain livestock disease

The British agriculture minister, Nick Brown, has described as vital the action being taken to control an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Mr Brown said the measures were harsh but necessary.

They include a ban on the export of British livestock, meat and dairy products, and the quarantining of all farms where it's suspected the disease may be present.

British farmers are facing estimated losses of more than twelve-million dollars a week because of the export ban.

The public has been advised to stay away from the countryside to prevent the inadvertent spread of the disease. Foot and mouth is a highly infectious viral illness, though not harmful to humans.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service