Hungary on Thursday confirmed a fifth outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at a cattle farm in Rábapordány, near the borders with Slovakia and Austria, escalating concerns over the spread of the highly contagious livestock virus first detected in the country last month.
The latest case, confirmed by laboratory tests Thursday afternoon, prompted authorities to place the facility — housing some 600 dairy cows — under immediate quarantine, Agriculture Minister István Nagy announced on social media. Veterinary teams have begun preparations to cull the entire herd in accordance with emergency containment protocols.
The virus was previously confirmed at four farms in Győr-Moson-Sopron county — Kisbajcs, Levél, Darnózseli and Dunakiliti — where over 4,000 animals were culled. Neighboring Slovakia, which has also recorded six outbreaks since March, declared a state of emergency last month and continues to enforce strict border and transport restrictions.
Authorities have now established a three-kilometer protection zone and a 10-km surveillance zone around the latest Hungarian site. Contact tracing and additional testing are underway. While FMD poses no threat to humans, it can devastate cattle, sheep and pig populations, with huge economic consequences.
Government officials estimate the direct cost of Hungary’s outbreak, the first in 50 years, already runs into millions of euros, with additional losses from halted exports and long-term industry disruptions expected to drive that further. In Slovakia, similar outbreaks have already cost an estimated €8 million.
Some Hungarian and Slovak officials have floated unsubstantiated theories suggesting the virus may have been deliberately introduced, though experts warn against speculation without evidence. The United Kingdom has banned personal imports of meat and dairy from the EU, citing the need to protect its farmers and food security from further spread.
The European Commission is conducting genome sequencing to help trace the origin of the virus.
