10,000 doses to be handed over
A new foot-and-mouth vaccine delivery is set to take place on Wednesday, with 10,000 doses to be handed over to the Republic of Cyprus authorities by the occupied side, as containment efforts continue.
Leonidas Fylaktou, the Greek Cypriot co-chair of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health, said the vaccines form part of the broader quantity sent by the European Commission to the occupied areas through the Republic of Cyprus, in response to cases detected in the areas where the government does not exercise effective control.
The Republic of Cyprus had requested 20,000 doses in total. Of these, 10,000 will be delivered on Wednesday, with the remaining 10,000 expected next week.
EU shipment and broader support
In mid-February, the European Commission delivered 500,000 doses of foot-and-mouth vaccine to the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus to support vaccination efforts in affected areas.
The latest foot-and-mouth vaccine delivery follows that broader EU support package aimed at containing outbreaks recorded in recent months.
Claims over early cases
In the occupied areas, “agriculture minister” Huseyin Cavus also referred to the shipment of 10,000 doses to the government-controlled areas.
Cavus said cases of foot-and-mouth disease had been identified in the occupied areas as early as December 2025 and claimed that he had repeatedly informed the Cypriot authorities, alleging that the seriousness of the situation had not been recognised at the time.
He added that a significant proportion of affected animals were goats and sheep, which can act as carriers of the virus and accelerate its spread. According to Cavus, the strain has been identified, although he said the presence of additional subtypes cannot be ruled out due to recorded animal deaths.
Measures at crossing points
Cavus also referred to intensified measures at crossing points, as authorities on both sides continue efforts to limit the spread of the virus.
The foot-and-mouth vaccine delivery comes amid heightened surveillance, vaccination campaigns and movement restrictions aimed at containing the outbreak island-wide.
Also read: Democrats clash with Trump during State of the Union
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
