Cyprus bars British meat imports

CYPRUS has banned all imports of British meat and by-products following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in England.

The Agriculture Ministry confirmed yesterday that the suspension affected livestock, meat and a range of animal products, including cheeses, but not canned goods.

Britain halted exports of live animals and products on Wednesday after the discovery of the disease in pigs at an abattoir in South East England – the first outbreak in 20 years.

Foot and mouth causes blisters in the mouth and lameness and while it does not affect humans, it can prove fatal for animals. It is an airborne virus that is highly contagious and is capable of spreading rapidly.

The decision follows an EU ban on all British meat exports on Wednesday.

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.