Fears of foot-and-mouth flare-up
15 October 2001
Fears of foot-and-mouth flare-up
By Adrienne Francis
TEST results from sheep in the first suspected case of foot-and-mouth for two weeks are expected to be known on Monday (15 October).
About 100 sheep on a farm near Whitehaven, Cumbria, are suspected of having the disease. If so, it would be the first new case since 30 September.
A Cumbrian spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the suspect case came to light on Saturday (13 October).
Meanwhile, a half-year report from the English Tourism Council forecasts that the epidemic will cost the industry 2.7 billion this year.
UK tourists spent 1.4bn less in England than last year, it says.
Countryside minister Elliot Morley is cautiously optimistic that the disease is dying out. But it should be no surprise if the odd case is still found.
“We cant rule out altogether that there might be the odd outbreak, but generally all the indications are very positive,” he told BBC Radio.
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