The Burgenland state government has submitted an initial request for assistance to the Burgenland military command to support the health authorities in the districts of Neusiedl, Eisenstadt Umgebung, Mattersburg and Oberpullendorf in order to help with the measures against foot-and-mouth disease. The first reconnaissance teams are on their way to the operational area.
Among other things, the task will be to set up and operate epidemic carpets at the unclosed border crossings and to disinfect the vehicles selected by the police.
“Protecting our population and animals is now a top priority,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. “Our soldiers are making an indispensable contribution to preventing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in Austria and protecting our agriculture. It is precisely at times like these that it becomes clear how important it is that the armed forces acts quickly and reliably to ensure safety on the ground.”
As before 50 soldiers of the Austrian Armed Forces are still deployed in Slovakia to support the health authorities there. At the Rajka border crossing, the decontamination of large vehicles entering Slovakia from Hungary is ensured.
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Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. It manifests itself through fever, the formation of blisters in the mouth and on the claws and leads to severe performance losses in affected animals. The virus is harmless to humans. However, an outbreak can cause massive economic damage – for example through animal losses, trade restrictions and comprehensive control measures.
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