F&Mhopes rising

12 October 2001

F&Mhopes rising

THE longest break between new cases of foot-and-mouth disease has sparked fresh hopes that the end of the epidemic may be in sight.

The 2030th case was confirmed on September 30, near Appleby in Cumbria. By Wednesday morning (Oct 10), no cases had been confirmed in October. The gap of 10 days to that point represents a big improvement on the previous longest of just two days between cases.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it was encouraged by the decline in cases, but warned against complacency. &#42

"There is no way we would say we are completely out of the woods," a spokesman said.