LONDON – The United Kingdom’s Animal and Plant Health Agency confirmed the discovery of a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) found in Somerset, England. The department said the animal is deceased and has been removed from the farm. 

“Movement restrictions have been put in place on the farm,” said Christine Middlemiss, chief veterinary officer for the agency. “This is standard procedure until we have a clear understanding of the origin of the disease. This is further proof that our surveillance system for detecting and containing this type of disease is working.”

Middlemiss went on to say that the UK’s overall risk for BSE remains “controlled” with no risk to food safety or public health. 

The agency said it would begin a thorough investigation of the herd and the farm for potential sources of infection. 

Earlier in the month, the Ministry of Agriculture in Brazil confirmed two cases of atypical BSE. 

In September 2020, the UK resumed shipping beef to the United States for the first time since 1996. European beef had been banned in the United States since the BSE outbreak in the United Kingdom more than 20 years ago.

In the summer of 2019, the United States agreed to equivalence standards on the United Kingdom’s disease control measure after inspections took place. The ban was lifted in March 2020.