SVPS: Slovakia on Its Way to Regaining FMD-free Country Status

Bratislava, 31 July (TASR) - Slovakia has lost its FMD-free status due to the occurrence of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), so the Slovak State Veterinary and Food Administration (SVPS) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have taken steps to regain it. SVPS and FAO organised a workshop with foreign experts from the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD) with the aim of preparing comprehensive material for the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). The purpose of the meeting was to obtain recommendations for preparing an acceptable application for restoring the country's status as FMD free. SVPS further informed the media that the clarified facts, procedures and statistical data will be presented as part of prepared comprehensive materials so that the WOAH can assess Slovakia's application positively. According to SVPS, the critical period of FMD infection in Slovakia is over. According to SVPS central director Martin Chudy, the current situation is favourable, and the regional veterinary and food administrations have not registered any suspicions of the given disease. Based on the negative results of samples taken, game in the forests no longer poses a risk in terms of the possible transmission of FMD to livestock. ko/df