British officials have confirmed a new case of foot and mouth disease in a herd of cattle in Surrey. Authorities ordered the animals killed Monday as a precaution after some of the cattle showed signs of the illness.
This is the seventh confirmed case of foot and mouth disease in the county of Surrey, southeast of London, since August 3.
Authorities Saturday announced they discovered Britain's first case of bluetounge - another dangerous animal disease - in a cow from a petting zoo in eastern England. Bluetonuge is a virus spread by tiny insects, affecting such animals as cows, deer, and sheep.
LIke the foot and mouth virus, bluetongue does not affect humans but can deadly to animals.
A foot and mouth outbreak in Britain in 2001 led to the deaths of six million animals and cost farmers more than $17 billion.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
