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What's next?

• Nick
• 12 Sep 07, 06:04 PM

Worried faces around Whitehall tonight as they await the results of the scientific tests on the latest foot and mouth outbreak. One insider tells me that there are two possibilities - both of which are pretty alarming.

If this turns out to be the same strain as the outbreak last month then it may mean that ministers have to tear up the rulebook which they've been following. This stated that the disease could not have survived and spread more than a fortnight after it was declared eradicated. Also, it will suggest that Whitehall's much praised plan for controlling the outbreak did not, after all, work.

If, on the other hand, it's a different strain then the whole exercise of identifying the source and worrying about how to limit its spread will begin again.

Hillary Benn's now had to deal with floods, foot and mouth and then foot and mouth again. Plague of frogs anyone?

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New foot-and-mouth case?

• Nick
• 12 Sep 07, 10:27 AM

Defra are about to announce that a new suspected case of foot and mouth has been found. Cattle on the farm in question - 30 miles from the original outbreak - have been slaughtered, although tests to confirm that they have the disease have not yet been carried out.

Gordon Brown will chair a COBRA meeting this afternoon .

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