Brazil confirms new outbreak of foot-mouth

Reuters May 20, 2001 SANTANA DO LIVRAMENTO, Brazil -- Authorities confirmed a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Brazil's southernmost state Saturday and began slaughtering infected cattle immediately.

It is Brazil's fifth case of foot-and-mouth in two weeks and comes two days after the state sacrificed hundreds of livestock. At least two more outbreaks are suspected in the region.

The agricultural secretariat of Rio Grande do Sul state said it began slaughtering a herd of 67 animals on Brazil's border with Uruguay after 20 cattle were confirmed with the disease.

The latest outbreaks came as state authorities used police roadblocks and vaccinations to fight the scourge. Foot-and-mouth ravaged farms in Britain and other parts of Europe and there have been widespread outbreaks in Argentina and Uruguay.

Brazil's cases prompted the rest of the country, Europe and some Asian countries to ban imports of beef from Rio Grande do Sul. The government said the bans could slice $300 million off Brazil's meat exports this year, estimated at $2.5 billion.

Brazil is home to the world's largest commercial cattle herd, with 167 million head.

http://chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/article/0,2669,SAV-0105200306,FF.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), May 20, 2001

Answers

Thanks Martin Thompson for all your work.

-- David Williams (DAVIDWILL@prodigy.net), May 21, 2001.

I second that motion.

-- NdewTyme (NdewTyme@NdewT.com), May 21, 2001.