Greece has confirmed a case of foot-and-mouth disease at a cattle farm on Lesvos, in what many reports describe as the country’s first outbreak in 25 years.
Authorities identified the case in the Pelopi area, in the island’s mountainous eastern region, and quickly moved to impose emergency containment measures through veterinary and regional services.
According to Greece’s public broadcaster ERT, four of the eight animals on the affected farm showed signs of illness. Regional officials said they will cull the animals and bury them under sanitary protocols, while laboratories will analyze additional samples to identify the virus strain.
Emergency measures across Greece’s Lesvos
The North Aegean Region announced a series of restrictions to deter the virus from spreading further. Authorities banned the movement of live animals of susceptible species, including cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats, out of the Lesvos regional unit. They also banned the sale and purchase of live animals from those species within Lesvos, Greece.
Transportation of milk and dairy products from susceptible animals is permitted only under specific conditions and only with approval from the Local Disease Control Center. The same requirement now applies to fresh meat, minced meat, meat preparations, and meat products, as well as semen, ova, and embryos collected from susceptible species.
Officials have also extended restrictions to hides and skins, sheep wool, ruminant hair, pig bristles, and the transport or spreading of manure from farms, facilities, and vehicles. In all cases, producers must secure official authorization and comply with strict conditions.
Officials said the National Disease Control Center, working with the European Commission, will oversee the wider eradication effort, while the Local Disease Control Center will carry out and coordinate decisions on the ground. The Ministry of Rural Development and Food is expected to issue a clarifying circular outlining any additional anti-FMD measures.
Protection zone around the outbreak
At the same time, authorities are applying EU zoning rules to separate unaffected areas from those considered at risk. They have set a protection zone with a radius of five kilometers (about three miles) around the outbreak site, while designating the entire island of Lesvos as a surveillance zone. Through these measures, officials aim to contain the outbreak quickly and reduce the risk of wider transmission across the livestock sector.
The outbreak comes at a particularly sensitive time for local producers. According to reports, milk collection on Lesvos stopped after authorities confirmed the disease, adding further pressure on the island’s agricultural economy during a key production period.
What foot-and-mouth disease means for livestock
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and some wild species. It spreads rapidly through direct contact between animals, but it can also spread indirectly through contaminated equipment, vehicles, footwear, and other objects, as well as through human activity.
The virus can also be transmitted through the air, significantly increasing the risk to nearby farms. Wild animals and rodents may further spread it from infected holdings to healthy ones. Infected animals shed the virus through saliva, nasal secretions, milk, urine, and feces.
Although FMD does not pose a threat to public health, experts consider it one of the most serious animal diseases in the world due to the speed at which it spreads and the severe economic disruption it can cause.
Infected animals may remain carriers, posing an ongoing risk of further transmission. Common symptoms include blisters and erosions in the mouth, around the hooves and between the digits, lesions on the udder, and severe lameness. In young animals, acute myocarditis may develop, potentially leading to sudden death.