Hungary Confirms Fifth Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak, 600 Cows Expected to Be Culled

Hungary has confirmed a fifth outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at a cattle farm in Rábapordány, near the Slovak border, prompting authorities to quarantine the facility and prepare to cull roughly 600 dairy cows in an effort to contain the highly contagious virus. This comes after previous outbreaks at four other Hungarian farms and several cases in neighboring Slovakia, which has declared a state of emergency and enforced strict border controls. Veterinary teams in Hungary are implementing protection and surveillance zones, vaccinating susceptible animals, and conducting epidemiological investigations to prevent further spread. Although FMD poses no risk to humans or food safety, it is extremely contagious among livestock and can have severe economic consequences. Both Hungarian and Slovak officials have suggested bioterrorism as a possible cause, but experts emphasize there is no evidence supporting this claim and the virus is most likely spreading accidentally. Authorities are urging farmers to remain vigilant and strictly follow preventive measures to help manage the outbreak.