BERLIN — German authorities recently confirmed no more cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) inside the country.

On Jan. 10, the country reported its first outbreak of FMD since 1988 in a herd of water buffalo in the Brandenburg region near Berlin.

Local officials noted this week that no other FMD detections came up within a 1- kilometer radius of the initial site.

Information from the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) stated that three infected buffalo died, and a remaining herd of 11 animals was euthanized to contain the disease. 

Other actions taken by Germany included culling susceptible animals in the 1- kilometer radius, which included a farm holding 170 pigs and another location with 55 goats, sheep and three cattle for precautionary purposes. 

Officials in Germany continue to implement a 3-kilometer exclusion zone and a 10-kilometer monitoring zone. 

An update from SHIC said the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) identified the FMD virus as a serotype that is commonly found in the Middle East and Asia. Authorities are still unclear on how it entered the country. 

“The affected farm operates organically, using only its own hay for feed,” SHIC added. “The outbreak highlights the ongoing risk of FMD introduction into the EU through illegal trade and travel-related movement of animal products from FMD-endemic regions. Germany, previously recognized as FMD-free along with the EU, has lost its status, triggering trade restrictions.” 

Germany continues to test for FMD to keep European markets open for beef and other meat products.