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Volume 9, Number 1—January 2003
Research

Foot and Mouth Disease in Livestock and Reduced Cryptosporidiosis in Humans, England and Wales

William J. Smerdon*, Tom Nichols*, Rachel M. Chalmers†, Hilary Heine*, and Mark Reacher*Comments to Author 
Author affiliations: *Public Health Laboratory Service–Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London, England; †Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Singleton Hospital, Sgeti, Swansea, Wales

Main Article

Table 1

Key events during the foot-and-mouth-disease epidemic in livestock, United Kingdom, 2001a

Dates Cumulative cases Event
2001
19 February
 0
 FMD case suspected at an abattoir in Essex, southeast England.
20 February
 1
 Index case confirmed.
21 February
 2
 Animal movements banned within infected area.
Ban on moving susceptible animals and nontreated animal products from the U.K. imposed by the European Commission.
23 February
 6
 Case confirmed in Northumberland, northeast England.
Environment Agency and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issue joint statement that disposal of animal carcasses produced by culling constitutes an emergency under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
25 February
 7
 Case confirmed in Devon, southwest England.
27 February
 16
 Special rights to close footpaths and rights of way outside infected areas granted to local government.
First case in Wales (Anglesey).
28 February
 24
 First case in Cumbria, northwest England.
1 March
 31
 First case in Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway).
2 March
 38
 Animals intended for the human consumption permitted to be moved under license.
6 March
 80
 Environment Agency announces disposal hierarchy, placing rendering and incineration first.
15 March
 250
 Policy of culling sheep within 3 km of an infected premise announced by Minister of Agriculture.
20 March
 394
 Prime Minister initiates daily interdepartmental meetings chaired by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods.
23 March
 514
 First meeting of Cabinet Office Briefing Room, chaired by the Prime Minister.
Government Chief Scientific Officer proposes a 24-h infected premises/48-h contiguous cull policy.
101 Logistics Brigade of the Army deployed at Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food headquarters.
26 March
 644
 First mass burial of animal carcasses at Great Orton, northeast England.
30 March
 829
 Largest number of new cases (50) reported in a single day.
15 April
 1,320
 14% of footpaths open.
7 May
 1,563
 Last carcasses buried at Great Orton. Last day of incineration of carcasses. Backlog of animals awaiting disposal cleared.
8 June
 1,714
 Prime Minister announces new Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs replacing Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
22 June
 1,773
 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announces intention to revoke most footpath closures.
30 September
 2,026
 Last confirmed case of foot and mouth disease in Cumbria, northwest England.
28 November
 2,026
 Last foot and mouth disease–infected area designations lifted from parts of Cumbria, northwest England, north Yorkshire, and County Durham, northeast England.
7 December
 2,026
 Guidance to lift remaining footpath restrictions issued.
2002
14 January
Northumberland, northeast England, last county declared to be foot and mouth disease–free.
22 January
U.K. regains international foot and mouth disease–free status, clearing way to resume normal trade in animals and animal products.
21 June National Audit Office report published “The 2001 Outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease.”
Six million animals slaughtered.
Direct cost to public sector, 3 billion pounds (U.S. $4.7 billion).
Cost to private sector, 5 billion pounds (U.S. $7.9 billion), mostly in the tourism sector.
Up to 100,000 animals slaughtered and disposed of each day.

aSource, National Audit Office, U.K. (13).

Main Article

Page created: December 07, 2010
Page updated: December 07, 2010
Page reviewed: December 07, 2010
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