Australia fears foot-and-mouth risk as Indonesia outbreak infects 20,000 animals

The risk of foot-and-mouth disease reaching Australian shores has escalated as an outbreak sweeps through cattle herds in Indonesia.

More than 20,000 animals have been infected by foot-and-mouth disease across 16 provinces, according to Indonesia’s agriculture ministry. Some analysts are concerned the virus will soon reach tourist hotspots like Bali, raising questions over whether Australian travellers should be banned from going there.

Foot-and-mouth is a highly contagious disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. It is characterised by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves.

The virus has not been detected in Australia for more than 100 years, according to the government.

Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer Mark Schipp said his department is reviewing a previous risk assessment made last year that put the chances of an incursion within the next five years at 9 per cent, and that the new figure would “certainly be higher” in light of the growing outbreak in Indonesia.

“The situation there is very serious,” said Schipp, who recently returned from the Southeast Asian nation, where the disease has spread extensively across the Western region. “They do not have any vaccine in the country and they’re largely unable to put in place movement restrictions to stop animals being moved about, which is allowing further spread of the disease.”