A wave of fear is sweeping across Europe as foot-and-mouth disease, or FMD, is spreading in Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia. This fright has prompted nations to close their borders and activate emergency plans. Even people are concerned that this could be a biological weapon. Ireland, which has not had to contend with this issue since 2001, has now issued a “concerning” update to its citizens and tourists, warning them what to do if the virus moves closer to them.
This outbreak started in Germany early last January, and now it is also affecting parts of northwestern Hungary and nearby Slovakia. It is not deadly to humans but is quite bad for animals that have hooves divided into two parts, including cows, pigs, and sheep.
Irish farmers are urged to stay vigilant after a case of foot and mouth disease was confirmed in Germany, with plans are in place to protect Irish livestock.
Ireland’s last outbreak in 2001 took months to eradicate. #VMNews pic.twitter.com/bXoHHXGRUc
— Virgin Media News (@VirginMediaNews) January 12, 2025
Because of this, European countries are taking strong steps to keep the disease under control. For example, Slovakia has had to put down thousands of cows, and Hungary is cleaning and sanitizing areas heavily trafficked by animals at their borders to stop the spread.
In a disturbing trend that has seen the world taking notice, Hungary officials have not ruled out a possible biological attack. Chief of Staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Gergely Gulyás, has made an implication that the virus was possibly “artificially engineered.” as opposed to having emerged naturally. He has not offered any concrete evidence to substantiate this accusation or suggested who could be behind it, but his statements have indeed created worry throughout Europe.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Gulyás said, “At this stage, we can say that it cannot be ruled out that the virus was not of natural origin.”
For example, in neighboring Slovakia, changes at the borders have been quite noteworthy. The government has set up special checkpoints where teams in full protective gear are diligently spraying down vehicles and carefully examining every piece of cargo that passes through. This team is currently working diligently to synchronize efforts nationwide to contain the virus. It’s a serious affair that has the entire region on red alert.
Austria and Slovakia have already moved to close key border crossings with Hungary to meet the situation. Poland and the Czech Republic have also rushed to action, stepping up checking activities and imposing a limit on animal transport. There is a line of vehicles queuing patiently behind mobile disinfection units at the Medvedov border crossing, bringing back the strict controls we had during the pandemic.
In an effort to combat the spread of this illness, regions are now implementing various safety measures, including the use of disinfectants, quarantining vehicles, and restricting movement. To manage the situation more effectively, Slovakia has also decided to put into action their Central Crisis Staff. If the disease isn’t contained soon, experts fear that the EU’s closely linked systems for livestock and trade could be in for a serious disruption.
Over in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture has set off its warning systems. The Agriculture Minister, Martin Heydon, voiced his concern to the Irish Star on April 11, saying, “The news of three outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Slovakia is very concerning.” He’s asking folks returning from these countries to be careful and steer clear of farms, zoos, and wild areas for two weeks.
Even though foot-and-mouth disease doesn’t get humans ill, it can have a massive effect on our pockets. Just look at the UK’s 2001 outbreak, which cost an awful lot of money and claimed a huge number of animal lives. If it gets bad enough, trade between EU nations could cease altogether, which would impact the way that we obtain food and hit economies that use livestock hard.
If it turns out this is coming from a biological source on purpose, it could be a scary new chapter in agro-terrorism.
