Austria closes 24 passages on the border with Hungary, Slovakia after an epidemic of illness on foot

Austria has closed two dozen passages to the borders with its neighbors in Hungary and Slovakia in large part to contain the spread of feet and mouth disease and prevent it from entering the country.

Slovakia said an emergency situation on Tuesday after the disease was found in three farms.

Hungary had the first epidemic of highly infectious disease in 50 years on Wednesday, leading the country to deploy soldiers and launching disinfection measures to contain it in an area bordering Slovakia and Austria.

Diseases, which represent no danger for humans, mainly affect cattle and other hoofes classic animals such as pigs, sheep and goats. Infected animals experience fever and oral blisters in the context of the symptoms of the disease. Epidemics often lead to commercial restrictions and breeding networks.

Austrian health authorities carry out rigorous checks in the few border crossings open with Hungary and Slovakia. Cars must cross an epidemic carpet to prevent the virus from spreading. This measure also applies to pedestrians crossing the border on foot.

Police are also looking for vehicles at border points for meat products.

Austrian authorities say they concentrate their police resources on the border while this emergency persists. They added that if the border forces are on high alert, they also prepare eventualities in case the disease is detected in one of its farms.