Hungary reported its first FMD case in over 50 years in early March 2025, followed by four additional outbreaks, with the latest detected in mid-April. All five cases occurred in the Győr-Moson-Sopron county, which borders Austria and Slovakia.
On June 6, Hungary’s National Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH) confirmed that the outbreak had been brought under control. As a result, the final restricted zone was lifted, and trade with other EU member states has resumed. Hungary is also in talks with non-EU countries to restore international exports.
The five outbreaks affected more than 19,000 animals. Testing was conducted on 2,900 farms, with no further cases identified. In total, over 260,000 laboratory tests were performed on domestic and wild animals of all susceptible species. Surveillance efforts will continue in the coming months.
Hungary is now preparing to regain its official FMD-free status and plans to apply to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) after July 20. In the meantime, farmers are urged to continue observing basic biosecurity measures.
Developments in Slovakia
Meanwhile, neighbouring Slovakia has also reported six FMD outbreaks this spring. In response, the government declared a state of emergency in late March and deployed defence forces to assist in containment and disinfection.
Although Slovakia has not officially declared the outbreak under control, the state of emergency has been lifted, and restrictions on movement in affected areas have been eased. Border crossings between Hungary and Slovakia have reopened, and routine vehicle disinfection operations have been halted. However, random biosecurity checks will continue to ensure compliance with disease control regulations.
agriland.ie