Authorities moved on Wednesday to contain the first confirmed foot and mouth disease outbreak in the Limassol district after a positive case was identified at a farm in Pachna, prompting immediate culling of infected livestock.

The veterinary services said the outbreak involved a herd of 66 animals, with the total number of confirmed units nationwide to 117 following additional detections in Dromolaxia and Athienou over the weekend.

Senior veterinary officer, Apostolos Mazeris, said culling procedures began immediately after laboratory confirmation of the active virus.

Containment zones covering three and 10 kilometres respectively were established around the affected unit while veterinary teams moved to isolate the area and disinfect vehicles.

“Something in the biosecurity chain has clearly been breached,” Mazeris admitted, adding that authorities were examining all possible routes of transmission.

Within the three-kilometre protection zone authorities identified 42 sheep and goat units with a combined population of 9,724 animals, as well as two cattle units.

Mazeris said the affected farm was relatively isolated and was not supplying milk commercially.

According to the owner, access to the premises had since been restricted.

“Obviously he entered the unit with two feet,” he said, referring to the likelihood of human involvement in transmitting the virus. He added that investigators could not yet determine whether the infection had spread through a vehicle, visitor or direct contact by the farmer himself.

Veterinary services said molecular testing confirmed active infection while antibody testing showed the herd had not previously developed immunity through exposure, indicating recent transmission.

“It is a new case with active virus,” Mazeris said.

 “That’s why our actions are aimed at killing as quickly as possible.”

Authorities said burial procedures for the culled animals were being coordinated with other state departments to avoid environmental contamination and reduce the risk of further spread during transport.

Efforts were focused on finding a suitable burial site as close as possible to the infected premises.

“It must be ensured that no environmental problems or groundwater contamination will be caused,” Mazeris said.

Veterinary officer Natia Kalli said all livestock units in the surrounding area had completed two vaccination rounds, creating what she described as cautious optimism that wider transmission may have been limited.

“Vaccination reduces the chances of infection, reduces symptoms in animals and locks the virus in infected animals, preventing its further spread,” she said.

Kalli said authorities remained concerned by the incident but stressed there was currently no indication of airborne transmission due to the isolated location of the unit.

“We can rule out airborne contamination, as it is an isolated unit,” she said.

Pachna mukhtar, Andreas Savva, described the development as a difficult moment for local livestock farmers and confirmed that the area had been cordoned off while veterinary crews carried out inspections and disinfection work.

“A difficult day dawned,” Savva said, adding that farmers were waiting for results from surrounding units over the coming days.

Farmer Costas Salatas, whose farm lies approximately one kilometre from the infected unit, questioned how the virus had reached the area given the limited access to the affected premises.

He said most livestock farmers in the region had completed both vaccine doses.

The outbreak has prompted political criticism, as the ecologists have accused the veterinary services of “failing miserably” to contain the spread of the disease and raised concerns over the continued increase in confirmed cases despite vaccination efforts and movement controls.