Cyprus plans mass livestock vaccination to halt spread of foot-and-mouth disease

Cyprus Launches Mass Vaccination Campaign to Combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak

Cyprus has initiated an extensive vaccination program targeting thousands of livestock animals in response to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that threatens the country’s crucial halloumi cheese industry. Officials confirmed Wednesday that at least 13,000 animals will need to be culled as part of containment efforts.

Agriculture and Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou announced that European Union experts have arrived to supervise the first round of vaccinations at farms within a three-kilometer radius of the outbreak’s center. The operation comes as the island nation works to protect its valuable dairy industry.

“Strictly obeying biosecurity measures is absolutely essential as they are a key tool to containing the virus,” Panayiotou told reporters. Private veterinarians have been recruited to support government authorities in administering the vaccines.

The outbreak has affected 11 farms across four communities near Cyprus’s southern coast. Emergency crews have established disinfection points for vehicles entering the exclusion zone to prevent further spread of the highly contagious viral disease, which causes fever and blister-like sores in animals’ mouths while drastically reducing milk production.

An initial batch of 10,000 vaccine doses, transferred from the island’s breakaway Turkish Cypriot northern region, will be used until a larger order of more than 500,000 doses arrives from European manufacturers. This cross-border cooperation represents a rare moment of collaboration on the divided island.

Soteria Georgiadou, a senior Veterinary Services official, explained that Turkish Cypriot farmers had previously received EU-supplied vaccines when the disease first appeared in the north in late 2025. Turkish Cypriots have now agreed to return a portion of those doses to assist with the current outbreak.

The containment strategy has already resulted in the culling of 263 cattle, with plans to destroy approximately 13,000 more sheep, goats, and swine. Officials may expand vaccinations to cover a 10-kilometer radius from the epicenter, while disinfection operations will continue for at least two more months.

President Nikos Christodoulides pledged government support and compensation for affected farmers, while suggesting the disease may have spread from the north due to “possibly illegal activities,” though he did not elaborate on this claim.

The swift response aims to safeguard Cyprus’s halloumi production, which has become an increasingly important export. The distinctive white cheese, known for its high melting point and versatility for grilling, generated over €200 million ($236 million) in export revenue during the first half of 2025, reportedly surpassing the island’s pharmaceutical sector.

Marios Constantinou, head of the Cheesemakers Association, sought to reassure international markets that halloumi production and exports to key destinations in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Australia remain secure due to safety protocols implemented during the manufacturing process.

The outbreak highlights the complex political reality of Cyprus, which has been divided along ethnic lines since Turkey’s 1974 invasion following a coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece. While Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, only the southern, Greek Cypriot part with its internationally recognized government enjoys full membership benefits.

Panayiotou emphasized that no new cases have been identified beyond the 11 affected farms, and regular testing protocols remain in place. She also assured consumers that meat consumption, even from vaccinated animals, poses no safety concerns.

The situation remains under close monitoring as authorities work to contain the outbreak and minimize economic disruption to one of Cyprus’s most valuable agricultural sectors.