Travelers arriving at several European airports and harbors from Britain must have their shoes disinfected. Health officials in Finland encourage arrivals to take a cleansing sauna. Swedish farmers are discouraging barnyard visitors they usually welcome.
Such precautions may seem odd or drastic, but the foot-and-mouth virus is so potentially devastating to animals -- though fortunately not to humans -- that no one wants to take unnecessary chances.
"Maybe some of these measures are a little bit too overreactive, but we also must remember the consequences," said Anders Engvall of the Swedish Veterinary Institute. "Maybe it's better to be a little bit too cautious in this situation."
It is extremely difficult to contain an outbreak of the highly contagious virus that infects cloven-hoofed animals like sheep, cows and pigs in Britain. It was first detected at a slaughterhouse near London last week. Already, thousands of British-exported animals have been destroyed.
The health alert prompted the cancelation of sports events, animal shows and even Dublin's St Patrick's Day parade. In Scotland, the world's first cloned sheep, named Dolly, was placed in quarantine for her safety.
The fact that foot-and-mouth can be contracted by breathing and the virus can survive for lengthy periods on boots and clothing has led to a host of sudden travel restrictions.
Portugal is requiring passengers arriving from Britain to disinfect their shoes in a washbasin upon arrival at any airport or port. "The outbreak has triggered an unprecedented control on anything coming from the UK. People even have to `wipe' their feet when they arrive in Portugal," the Portuguese daily Diario de Noticias stated.
Swedish farmers are being encouraged to avoid unnecessary visitors or at least make sure their clothing is disinfected until the situation is brought under control.
German airports have placed food entering from Britain -- anything containing meat or dairy products -- under suspicion as a possible carrier. Customs officers were even confiscating uneaten sandwiches from passengers.
A case of foot and mouth disease has also been reported in a herd of calves in Turkey, the Anadolu news agency reported on Friday.
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