Virus all-clear for Leeds area

25 May 2001



Virus all-clear for Leeds area

By FWI staff

GOOD and bad news has been announced in the battle against foot-and-mouth, as further restrictions are lifted, but another case is confirmed in the Yorkshire Dales.

The Ministry of Agriculture has said on Friday (25 May) that foot-and-mouth Infected Area restrictions covering parts of West Yorkshire have been lifted.

West Yorkshire around Queensbury, Rawdon, Leeds, Wakefield, Kirklees, Calderdale and Bradford, and around Harrogate are now outside Infected Areas.

Restrictions will remain in the rest of the Northern Infected Area.

The move will release 3636 farms in the West Yorkshire area from Infected Area restrictions and will bring the total number of farms released to 26,757.

However, this is tempered by the announcement of another case of foot-and-mouth in the Settle area at Church Close Farm at Coniston Cold.

This is the 19th outbreak of the virus in the area of the North Yorkshire Dales which has been dubbed the “Settle rectangle”, says MAFF.

Levels of infection have suggested that foot-and-mouth had been present in the area for up to three weeks, leading to fears that it could have spread far and wide.

More fortunate farmers freed up from controls can take animals to an abattoir willing to take them, if it can be reached within four and a half hours uninterrupted.

They can also apply for licences to move livestock to more areas under livestock movement schemes, and are no longer restricted to licensed movements in their Infected Area.

However, they will not be allowed to move to any farm in a Provisionally Free Area.

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