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Foot-and-mouth transfer is probed Foot-and-mouth transfer is probed
(about 1 hour later)
Health inspectors are investigating the possibility that foot-and-mouth was transferred to a farm in Surrey by employees of a nearby research site.Health inspectors are investigating the possibility that foot-and-mouth was transferred to a farm in Surrey by employees of a nearby research site.
One line of inquiry is that workers at vaccine manufacturer Merial, at Pirbright, could have picked up the infection because of drainage problems.One line of inquiry is that workers at vaccine manufacturer Merial, at Pirbright, could have picked up the infection because of drainage problems.
Officials have confirmed allotments near the farm where the outbreak began are also being investigated. Allotments near the farm where the outbreak began are also being investigated.
Merial said there was no evidence the virus was spread by humans.Merial said there was no evidence the virus was spread by humans.
HOW FOOT-AND-MOUTH SPREADS Direct contact, from animal to animalFluid from an infected animal's blister; saliva, milk or dung also pass on the diseaseAnimals eating infected feedVirus can be spread by people, vehicles or roads, if not disinfected Airborne spread of disease also possibleAnimals can begin spreading virus before visible signs of disease emergeSource: Defra class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/6935714.stm">Scottish restrictions relaxed Fallen stock
A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the allotments were being looked at as part of the ongoing "epidemiology investigation". The first cases of foot-and-mouth were found in cattle at Woolford Farm, near Guildford, on Friday.
"We are looking at all lines of inquiry," he added. HOW FOOT-AND-MOUTH SPREADS Direct contact, from animal to animalFluid from an infected animal's blister; saliva, milk or dung also pass on the diseaseAnimals eating infected feedVirus can be spread by people, vehicles or roads, if not disinfected Airborne spread of disease also possibleAnimals can begin spreading virus before visible signs of disease emergeSource: Defra class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/6935714.stm">Scottish restrictions relaxed class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7055&edition=1&ttl=20070803222614">Send us your comments
It is understood ongoing investigations have discovered a link between problems with drainage and the possible actions, accidental or deliberate, of Merial employees who may use the nearby allotments. A second outbreak was confirmed at a farm on Monday, and a total of 214 animals have been culled since Saturday.
BBC correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said she had been told that animal health inspectors had been looking at properties close to Woolford Farm, near Guildford, where the first cases were found on Friday. The movement of all livestock across Britain has been banned - although some restrictions have now been relaxed in Scotland. An estimated 110,000 farms are affected.
A second outbreak was confirmed at a farm on Monday and Defra has confirmed a total of 214 animals have been culled within the protection zone since Saturday. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is now considering licensing the movement of fallen stock - animals which die on farms - on a farm-by-farm basis.
Defra said "all lines of inquiry" into the cause of the outbreak were being looked at.
See layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge ImageSee layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge Image
The government has banned the movement of all livestock across Britain - although some restrictions have now been relaxed in Scotland. The Health and Safety Executive says there is a "strong probability" the outbreak began at the Pirbright research site, home to Merial and the state-run Institute for Animal Health and only a few miles from the farms.
However, Defra is considering licensing the movement of fallen stock - animals which die on farms - on a farm by farm basis.
On Tuesday, the Health and Safety Executive found there was a "strong probability" the foot-and-mouth outbreak began at the Pirbright research site, home to Merial and the state-run Institute for Animal Health.
But it did not specify which of the two facilities was to blame.But it did not specify which of the two facilities was to blame.
'Surface leak' The executive said there was a "negligible" risk the virus had been spread by the wind or flooding, but it could have been the result of human movement or "accidental or deliberate transfer".
The executive said there was a "negligible" risk it had been spread by the wind or flooding. Vaccine manufacturer Merial had been involved in large scale production of the strain - about 10,000 litres - while the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) had been carrying out small scale experiments, it said.
But its report said the disease could have been the result of human movement or "accidental or deliberate transfer". href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186573825/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186573825/html/1.stm', '1186573896', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=558,left=312,top=100'); return false;"> href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186573825/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186573825/html/1.stm', '1186573896', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=558,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Image
Vaccine manufacturer Merial had been involved in "large scale production" of the strain - about 10,000 litres - while the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) had been carrying out "small scale" experiments, it said. It is understood investigations have discovered a link between problems with drainage and the possible actions, accidental or deliberate, of Merial employees who may use the nearby allotments.
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186500167/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186500167/html/1.stm', '1186500285', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=558,left=312,top=100'); return false;"> href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186500167/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186500167/html/1.stm', '1186500285', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=558,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map Merial said it had conducted "intensive internal investigations" and had "complete confidence" in its processes and procedures.
In a statement, Merial said it had conducted "intensive internal investigations" and had "complete confidence" in its processes and procedures. It had not found any evidence the virus could have been transported out of the centre by humans, it said.
"To date, we have not been able to establish any evidence that the virus may have been transported out of our centre by humans," it said. It added that it did not release water from the site.
The company added that it did "not release water" from the shared Pirbright site. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he hoped a second report would be published on Wednesday.
Microbiology expert Hugh Pennington said it was possible there had been "some sort of surface leak at Pirbright". The National Farmers' Union is considering legal action "if it turns out to be a commercial company that has been and can be shown to have been careless in any way" which could claim millions of pounds, president Peter Kendall says.
"Then perhaps feet, motor car tyres or something like that could have transported it down a bit further south into Surrey," he told BBC News.
READ THE FINDINGS Initial report into Pirbright site by Health and Safety Executive [94.5KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader hereREAD THE FINDINGS Initial report into Pirbright site by Health and Safety Executive [94.5KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said further inquiries would be carried out into drainage on the Pirbright site and the possibility that the strain had been released by human movement would be investigated further as "a matter of urgency". EU veterinary and food safety experts will meet in Brussels later to formally assess the UK government's response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak.
Following criticism from some farmers and opposition parties, he also ordered that all footpaths within the 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone should be closed with immediate effect.
But shadow minister for culture, media and sport, Tobias Ellwood, told the BBC this action had been taken too late and that he had wandered around on Tuesday at allotments near the outbreak site.
"I shouldn't be allowed to wander around at will," he said. "We need to have exclusion zones that actually work - and this is not happening at the moment."
Isolation hope
Meanwhile, National Farmers' Union (NFU) president Peter Kendall told BBC Two's Newsnight programme the union was considering legal action.
He said: "If this turns out to be a commercial company that has been and can be shown to have been careless in any way, my members are already very loudly saying, 'we've lost money, our businesses are no longer able to function, we've got animals, extra feed costs, problems with capacity being squeezed on farms'."
FOOT-AND-MOUTH IN NUMBERS 97 cattle were culled from the first outbreak - 64 from infected premises, 33 from neighbouring premises. 102 were culled in the second outbreak111,000 farms across UK affected by movement banThat includes 10m cattle, 23m sheep and 5m pigs Send us your comments
Claims could run into millions of pounds, he added.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "hopeful" a second report would be published on Wednesday.
"We will continue these investigations so we get an isolation of the disease itself, and an isolation of the cause of the disease," he said.
Meanwhile, EU veterinary and food safety experts - including deputy chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg - will meet in Brussels later to formally assess the UK government's response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak.
The commission has already said it is satisfied the government is doing everything it can.The commission has already said it is satisfied the government is doing everything it can.
Following criticism from some farmers and opposition parties, all footpaths within the 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone have been closed.
But shadow minister for culture, media and sport, Tobias Ellwood, said this action had been taken too late and that he had wandered around on Tuesday at allotments near the outbreak site.
Defra has set up a helpline in response to the latest outbreak on 08459 335577.Defra has set up a helpline in response to the latest outbreak on 08459 335577.