‘Cyprus is following all EU procedures’

DOCTOR Alberto Ladomada, from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection, has been helping the Cypriot authorities since the outbreak of the disease.
He yesterday told the Mail that due to Cyprus being an island, “the risk of transmission is less likely to other member states”.
He also stated that there are no exceptional or special measures in place regarding imports from Cyprus.

“Each time there is an outbreak of foot and mouth in the EU, precautionary measures regarding imports are put into place. The same measures apply to Cyprus and I would say that there is no additional risk in this case.”
Ladomada also responded to a question as to why the Pirbright government research laboratory in the UK initially said a sample did not show signs of the disease, but two days later returned a positive analysis.
“These were samples from two different farms and that is why we saw those results,” he stated.

“The laboratory is working in a timely and efficient manner and we are not questioning its work at all. It appears that the Cypriot authorities are fully satisfied with Pirbright and I would agree with this.”

The specialist on animal diseases said he was still not ready to identify the source of the outbreak on the island. “To do so at this stage would be pure speculation as there is no specific data that can confirm the source,” he said.
“We, as the European Commission, understand that the situation in Cyprus is not easy due to the way the disease is behaving and we are trying to ensure that all the necessary technical support and advice is given.”
??

??

??

??

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.