Foot-and-mouth factfile

How many cases in Wales?

108 confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth:-

Powys 68 confirmed cases.

The Paddocks, Glangrwyney - cattle

Kent, Pentwyn, Llangenny - cattle

Battson, Forge House, Glangrwyney - sheep

Broyd, Penrhys Farm, Llangenny, Crickhowell, sheep

Morris, Graig Barn Farm, Crickhowell - cattle and sheep

Parsons, Pen Cwm Farm, Crickhowell - cattle and sheep

Powell, Hall Farm, Crickhowell - cattle and sheep

Evans Farm at Cwrt Gilbert, Libanus, near Brecon.

Sheep at Libanus near Brecon.

Twyn-Neuadd farm in Modrydd near Brecon.

Sheep at Llwynbedw near Libanus.

Modrydd in Libanus, Brecon.

Sheep farm at Duggan, Llwynaubach, Glasbury-on-Wye.

Sheep farm at Duggan, Llwynaubach, Glasbury-on-Wye.

Cattle and Sheep at Court Coed Farm, Bronllys.

Sheep farm at Talachdu, Brecon.

Cattle farm at Talgarth, Brecon.

Sheep farm at Garthbrengi, near Brecon.

Sheep farm at Brecon.

Sheep farm in St Mary's, Brecon

Cattle farm in Groesfordd, Brecon.

Three cattle farms in Llanddew, Brecon.

At sheep and cattle farm in Felindre in Knighton.

Four cases at sheep, cattle and goat farms in Builth Wells.

Four cases at sites in Churchstoke.

Five cases at sheep and cattle farms in Welshpool.

One case at an abattoir in Llanidloes.

Two cattle and sheep farms in Llanfair Caerinon.

A cattle and sheep farm in Tregynon in Newton.

4000 sheep and 470 cattle have been affected at a farm in Llanbadarnfynydd.

Two cases at farms near Berriew.

260 sheep have been affected at a farm in Forden.

A cattle and sheep farm at Rockley farm in Montgomery.

1500 sheep at Capel-y-Ffin in the Black Mountains.

A sheep and cattle farm at Upper Wernypentre in Clyro.

Two sheep, goat and cattle farms in Hay on Wye, in Llanigon.

2500 sheep and 100 cattle have been affected at a farm in Llandrindod Wells.

Nearly 1500 sheep at Buttington Hall in Trewern have been affected.

At a sheep farm in Ystwm Colwyn in Meifod.

At a sheep farm in Llanthony

A farm at Welshpool

A farm at Welshpool

A farm in Plasdwpa, Berriew, Welshpool A farm at Manafon, Newtown

A farm at Castle Caereinion and Llynderw, Welshpool

A cattle and sheep Lower Henlan, Cwmyoy, Powys

Cattle at Porthmorddwr, Talgarth, Brecon, Cattle

Ynys Mon 13 confirmed cases.

At the Welsh Country Foods in Gaerwen.

A sheep farm in Llandaniel.

There have been four cases at sheep and cattle farms in Llangaffo.

A case at Bont Farm in Malltraeth in Trefdraeth.

Two farms in Llandaniel Fab.

A cattle and pig farm in Lon Dywod in Paradwys.

A sheep farm in Caerenddi, in Bethesda.

Two at sheep and cattle farms at Twy Pwll in Llangristiolus.

At a farm in Newborough in Llanfair Pwll.

Monmouthshire 20 cases. Among them:

At a farm in cattle at Lower Pant y Rhesk Farm in Newbridge.

Farm in Newcastle

Two cases at farms in Grosmont.

At a sheep farm in Monmouth.

At Cross Ash Farm in Llangattock.

At two a pig, sheep and cattle farms in Raglan

Around 3,000 sheep have been affected at a site in Bayfield in Chepstow.

Glandwr Farm, Pandy, Abergavenny.

A far at Lower Dyffryn in Grosmont on the Monmouthshire-Herefordshire border.

A pig farm at Chepstow

A sheep farm at Gaerwent.

A sheep farm at Cwmyoy, near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

Caerphilly:

Park Farm, Nelson, 130 cattle and 375 sheep.

Neath:

A cattle farm at Skewen, 500 cattle.

Rhondda Cynon Taff 1:

A cattle farm in Abercynon.

Newport 3:

Cattle and sheep at Fair Orchard, St Brides, Wentloog.

Sheep at Fairview Farm, Peterstone, Wentloog.

Sluice House Farm, Peterstone, Wentloog, near Newport; 90 cattle and 904 sheep slaughtered. What are exclusion zones?

Exclusion zones are areas cordoned off from public access, and are set up around the confirmed or suspected sites.

Maff notice declaring a farm an exclusion zone

Only Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) vets have the power to declare an exclusion zone.

In the case of suspected sites, exclusion zones measure five miles. People can only leave the site with special permission from a Maff vet.

In confirmed areas, the zone is a minimum of just over six miles, and entry to that area is strictly forbidden.

The Farmers' Union of Wales says its members have imposed their own exclusion zones in keeping children from school to minimise contact with the outside world.

How many farmers are there in Wales?

According to figures from the National Assembly for Wales, there are around 31,700 farmers in Wales.

The total number of people employed in the industry is not known. The National Farmers' Union Cymru has said that as well as hired help, there are abattoir workers, butchers and hauliers.

What is foot-and-mouth disease?

It is a highly-infectious viral disease that may even be transmitted through dust particles in the air and can prove fatal in pigs, cattle sheep and goats.

Infected animals' hooves and mouths become blistered causing lameness, increased salivation and loss of appetite. They rapidly lose weight and produce less milk.

Can animals recover from it?

Yes. Foot-and-mouth is rarely fatal in adult animals, though young or already sick ones could be vulnerable.

There is a vaccine available which, although it has rarely been used in the European Union, is widely used in some other parts of the world. But there are various strains of the disease against which the vaccine would not be effective.

A computerised image of the foot-and-mouth virus (Oxford University)

However, because of its highly contagious nature the virus causes serious production losses to farmers.

Vets in the UK believe the best way of stopping the spread of foot-and-mouth is to destroy any affected herd, incinerate the carcasses and isolate all affected farms inside a five-mile radius exclusion zone.

What is being done to stop the spread?

Some rural councils across Wales still have footpaths and agricultural land closed off the public.

Access to some country parks, bridle paths, cycle and canal paths remains closed. Anyone ignoring the notices in exclusion zones can be fined up to £5,000.

The three National Parks in Wales - Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire - have partially re-opened key routes.

Some sporting and angling associations which use land in exclusion zones remain affected and have suspended events.

The disease has thrown the Six Nations into chaos

When was the last epidemic in the UK?

The most recent outbreak in Britain was in 1981 on the Isle of Wight - when 200 cattle and 369 pigs were destroyed. But the last major epidemic was in 1967 and ended in the slaughter of 442,000 animals after more than 2,364 outbreaks were detected.

The outbreak of 1967

It cost the country an estimated £150m in slaughter costs and lost sales in 1967 and 1968. A total of £27m was paid out to farmers in compensation.

Farms had to be scrubbed with disinfectant twice a day and animals were not allowed on to the land for at least six months after the slaughter. The worst outbreaks were in Wales, Cheshire, Shropshire.

Are humans in danger?

No. Doctors say there is no risk to human health.

During the 1967 epidemic one human was diagnosed as having caught the disease and one child was suspected of having it.

The disease should not be confused with the similarly-named, but completely different condition called hand, foot and mouth disease, which can infect and cause illness, particularly in children.

What other countries have it?

Foot-and-mouth disease is endemic in many parts of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America.

It was thought to have been virtually eradicated in Europe where, until now, the most recent outbreak was in Greece last year.

North and central America, the Pacific nations and the Caribbean are free of the virus.

What is the Welsh Assembly doing?

The assembly functions jointly with MAFF officials and there is no separation of powers.

The rural affairs department is holding daily briefings on day's developments on suspected cases.

The assembly will identify specific farms or abattoirs but only when a case of the disease is confirmed.

Welsh Assembly emergency helplines:

029 20825572

029 20825578

029 20825586

Powys County Council helpline

01597 826926

Police incident room:

01874 625684

01874 625097

Torfaen council 24-hour helpline:

01495 762200

Carmarthenshire foot-and-mouth hotline:

01267 228732/3 (office hours)

01267 7222288 (other hours)

Pembrokeshire incident room:

01437 764551 (Sunday only)

01437 776480/1/2

University of Wales, Bangor, School of Agriculture and Forrest Science:

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