LEVÉL, Hungary (AP) - Authorities across Central Europe are on high alert following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle populations, which has led to significant border closures and the culling of thousands of animals. The outbreak was initially identified in early March on a cattle farm in northwestern Hungary, and by late March, several farms in neighboring Slovakia had also reported positive cases of the highly contagious virus.

Since the outbreak began, additional cases have emerged, with three more farms in Hungary and three in Slovakia testing positive. This marks the first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in either country in over fifty years. Local entrepreneur Sándor Szoboszlai, speaking from Levél, a town significantly affected by the outbreak, described the situation as “completely upside down.” Farmers are understandably fearful for their herds, and transportation has been severely disrupted due to ongoing border closures.

“We didn’t even think such a thing could happen. Who could count on that? Nobody,” Szoboszlai remarked. “There are big farms in the area, but I don’t think it was the fault of the animal owners, that’s for sure. The wind blew it here.”

Foot-and-mouth disease primarily affects cloven-hooved animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer. The virus causes fever and painful blisters in the mouth and hooves, and it spreads easily through direct animal contact, contaminated surfaces, and even airborne particles. While it poses little threat to humans, its impact on livestock can be devastating.

On Friday, Hungarian authorities continued their efforts to curb the spread of the disease, including disinfecting affected farms and vehicles in the region. Disinfectant mats were strategically placed at the entrances and exits of towns to capture any virus particles that might cling to vehicles, although many mats quickly dried out or were displaced by passing traffic.

The Slovakian government has reacted to the situation by closing 16 border crossings with Hungary and one with Austria due to what they described as inadequate containment measures by Hungarian authorities. Austria, which has reported no cases thus far, recently closed 23 border crossings with both Hungary and Slovakia. In response to the outbreak, officials in the Czech Republic, despite being relatively distant from the infected farms, have implemented disinfection protocols at all five border crossings used by freight trucks.

Jiri Cerny, associate professor at the Czech University of Life Sciences, emphasized that the primary risk of transmission lies in “contaminated human objects,” which include tires, clothing, and shoes. Furthermore, Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny indicated that the restrictions on border crossings could potentially be lifted 30 days after the last infected animal has been culled in Slovakia.

As of this week, no new infections have been reported in Hungary, and agricultural minister István Nagy stated that cleanup efforts at the last germ-infected farms were expected to be completed on Saturday. Meanwhile, Gergely Gulyás, chief of staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, raised concerns about the potential origin of the outbreak, suggesting that it may have been caused by “an artificially produced virus.” Although Gulyás did not provide concrete evidence, he noted that queries were made based on initial findings from a foreign laboratory analyzing viral samples.

To support affected farmers, Hungary's government has pledged to establish a loan payment moratorium and provide compensation for lost livestock. Local resident Szoboszlai expressed his sorrow for those impacted, particularly one farmer who was forced to cull his entire herd, describing the situation as “terrible” and emphasizing the emotional and financial toll on the community.

As the health crisis unfolds across Central Europe, the emphasis remains on rigorous containment measures to protect livestock and mitigate further outbreaks.