Although the last confirmed outbreak in Hungary occurred over a month ago, authorities warn that it is too early to relax biosecurity measures. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, other cloven-hoofed animals, and can even be transmitted to humans.
The virus spreads rapidly through:
- transport vehicles and farming equipment,
- feed and drinking water,
- contaminated clothing, footwear, and even human respiratory pathways,
- contact with infected domestic or wild animals,
- animal products.
Outbreaks and losses:
- Slovakia: 7,490 cattle culled.
- Hungary: 8,466 cattle culled on infected farms, with an additional 846 preventively slaughtered on two farms (539 and 307 animals respectively).
- Germany: 14 water buffaloes culled on a farm near Berlin.
In total, 12 farms in Central Europe have been directly affected by FMD outbreaks over the past four months:
- 6 in Slovakia
- 5 in Hungary
- 1 in Germany
Half of these farms housed over 1,000 head of cattle. The most significant outbreak occurred at a large dairy farm near Plavecký Štvrtok in Slovakia, where 3,521 cattle were culled following confirmation of infection.
The cumulative toll of slaughtered and deceased animals due to FMD outbreaks in Central Europe has reached 26,704 since the start of 2025. Veterinary services across the region continue active surveillance and response efforts to contain the disease and prevent further spread.