Maul and claw disease: authorities are fighting for control in Brandenburg!

A dramatic outbreak of the mouth and claw disease (MKS) in water buffalos in Hönow in Brandenburg near Berlin has made the authorities on alert. On Monday, January 13, 2025, the responsible bodies, including Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir (Greens), will discuss the next steps to prevent a possible spread of the highly contagious virus disease. So far, however, there is no signs that the disease has expanded to other animal population. The rehearsal analyzes, which are supported by the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute (Fli), run in full swing, such as rbb24.de reported.

In order to prevent further distribution, the Agricultural Minister of Brandenburg, Hanka Mittelstädt (SPD), has imposed a ban on transport for claws for 72 hours. During this time, a total of 200 pigs within a defined restricted zone and other farm animals, including 55 goats, sheep and three cattle from a affected courtyard in the Oder-Spree district, are to be killed as a precaution. These measures are necessary because the farm receives hay from a company in which MKS outbreaks were found. Initial international reactions already indicate the impairment of German agricultural exports: South Korea has stopped importing pork from Germany, and the Netherlands have imposed a nationwide transport ban for calves, such as sueddeutsche.de reported.

vaccines and surveillance zones

The FLI has confirmed the possibility of using a specific vaccine against the serotype O of the MKS virus. However, the activation of the vaccine provided for this is still pending, and a decision about the vaccination process depends on the further development of the situation. The authorities have set up both a three -kilometer protective circuit and a ten -kilometer surveillance zone for the company in which the virus has been detected. The latter also extends beyond the district boundaries, which also affects the district of Barnim and parts of Berlin. In these zones, transports of potentially affected animals are prohibited to prevent the disease from spreading