Red alert: New epidemic threatens Hungary and Slovakia - bio-terrorism?

Red alert: New epidemic threatens Hungary and Slovakia - bio-terrorism?

In recent weeks, the situation surrounding foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Europe has become more serious. At the beginning of March, a case of foot-and-mouth disease was detected in Hungary, near the Slovakian border, for the first time in 50 years. This was the first major outbreak in Hungary since 1973, and further outbreaks quickly followed on three Hungarian and six Slovakian farms. In order to prevent the highly contagious disease from spreading further, the affected livestock will be vaccinated immediately. In response to the situation, Slovakia has declared a state of emergency and taken comprehensive border measures to protect the population and livestock. This reports exxpress.at.

The measures include the creation of a joint situation center operated by the military, fire brigade and police. Hungarian Cabinet Chief Gergely Gulyás expressed concerns that the pathogen may be a man-made virus, based on evidence from a foreign laboratory. However, these indications have not yet been verified and Slovak Agriculture Minister Richard Takáč launched extensive investigations to examine various scenarios, including the possible deliberate spread of the virus. Caution is advised, warns Czech virologist Jiří Černý, who emphasizes that so far there is no evidence of a non-natural virus. It is conceivable that the pathogen was introduced unintentionally through contaminated clothing, shoes, equipment or migratory birds.

Reaction in Germany and Europe

On January 10, 2025, a case of foot-and-mouth disease in water buffalo was reported in the Märkisch-Oderland district in Brandenburg. This was the first outbreak in Germany since 1988. After this incident, exclusion zones were set up within which the transport of animals and their products is prohibited. A “stand still” for cloven-hoofed animals was ordered and extensive sampling was carried out, but there were no further cases. On April 14, 2025, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) reinstated the status “FMD-free without vaccination” for all of Germany. German federal policy, supported by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), has prioritized stopping the spread quickly. In this context, Germany made vaccine doses available to help Hungarian and Slovak companies.

The European Commission has been working closely with member states in recent weeks to clarify the origin of the virus. Meanwhile, several countries, including Austria and the Czech Republic, increased their border controls. The UK has temporarily banned private imports of meat and dairy products from the EU to minimize possible risks related to the disease. As a highly contagious viral disease, FMD represents a significant economic risk because it can affect not only cloven-hoofed animals but also other animal species, but does not pose a threat to humans.

The situation remains tense and health authorities will continue to be vigilant to minimize the risk of further spread of foot and mouth disease. Federal and European control measures are among the preventive strategies that are in focus to protect agriculture and livestock.