Austria lifts the blocking zone: successful fighting the MKS!

Austria lifts the blocking zone: successful fighting the MKS!

Österreich - On May 20, 2025, the restricted zone in eastern Austria will be lifted. This happens, even though there have been several outbursts of the mouth and claw disease (MKS) in neighboring countries and Slovakia. State Secretary of Health Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig and Agriculture Minister Norbert Tettschnig emphasized the successful crisis management and pointed out that MKS has not yet been introduced to Austria. The alarm was triggered on March 26 when the first positive MKS case was confirmed in the region.

In order to prevent the insight and the spread of the plague, comprehensive measures were taken. Information campaigns took place from March 25, 2025, and a package of measures was implemented from March 27th. This included the establishment of surveillance and protection zones as well as an import ban for claws and animal products from Hungary and Slovakia. The police and customs controlled transport -related transports intensively and closed 23 small border crossings on April 4th.

measures to combat displacement

The measures taken also included an import ban for straw and vegetable feed as well as the introduction of hygiene concepts for animal transports, including quarantine and test specifications. These measures were further specified on April 12 by a geographically differentiated import ban. At Easter there was a focus campaign to control return travel and potentially risky products.

Important information on the mouth and claw disease

The mouth and claw disease is a notification of animal disease. If MKS is suspected, immediate measures must be taken, which forced the authority to lock and suspect. So far, no confirmed cases of MKS have been recorded in Austria, which is due to the efficient preventive measures. These include import restrictions and bans for animals from the affected countries, as well as the establishment of surveillance and locking zones, such as in the districts of Hollabrunn and Korneuburg, which are outside of these zones.

According to the Chamber of Agriculture Lower Austria, the organic safety measures are particularly necessary for companies that keep a clerk.

The EU Ordinance 2016/429 To combat animal disease, support health and security in the agricultural and food chain and promote the competitiveness of the EU sector for cattle breeding and agriculture. This regulation strives for a simplified legislation and is in line with Austria's measures to combat MKS.

With these comprehensive efforts to prevent and fight, Austria shows that it is also well prepared in times of crisis and that the focus is on health and animals.