Germany reports foot-and-mouth disease in water buffalo

Germany confirmed its first cases of foot-and-mouth disease in over three decades on Friday, following an outbreak on a farm near Berlin. The disease, which affects cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals like sheep and pigs, was found in three water buffalo on a farm in the eastern state of Brandenburg, surrounding Berlin.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause fever and blisters in the mouth and around the hooves of affected animals, though it is not dangerous to humans.

According to the Institute for Animal Health, the outbreak involved a group of 14 animals, three of which had died. In response, Brandenburg's environment ministry has ordered the culling of the remaining water buffalo in the herd to prevent the virus from spreading further.

The outbreak marks Germany's first reported cases of foot-and-mouth disease since 1988. In response, the country has set up exclusion zones within a three-kilometer radius and surveillance zones extending 10 kilometers.

Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir has convened a crisis meeting for Tuesday with state officials to discuss measures and track the source of the virus. The virus's route to Germany remains unknown at this point, and it is uncertain whether other livestock have been infected.

To control the outbreak, Brandenburg has imposed a 72-hour ban on the movement of livestock, including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and camelids, as well as animal carcasses and manure. The ban will come into effect on Saturday.

Water buffalo have been farmed in Germany since the 1990s for their milk, meat, and use in grassland management. The outbreak in Brandenburg has raised concerns, as previous European outbreaks have resulted in significant culling to control the disease.