Britain set up controls round a farm in southeast England on Tuesday because of a suspected case of foot and mouth disease, raising fears that an existing outbreak of the livestock disease may not have been contained.
Animal health experts were investigating the suspected case reported in Kent, to the east of Surrey where the highly infectious animal disease was found and hundreds of animals culled earlier this month, officials said.
Authorities hope they have contained the outbreak in Surrey but confirmation of a case in Kent would be a blow to British agriculture.
"We are setting up a new temporary control zone for foot and mouth disease in Kent," said a spokeswoman for the agriculture ministry Defra.
Livestock movements are banned in a control zone. The spokeswoman did not disclose the farm's location.
Kevin Pearce, director of food and farming at the National Farmers' Union, said samples had been taken from animals at the farm but no cull had been ordered.
"It doesn't necessarily mean there is a case (of foot and mouth). It means that they have not been able to discount it straight away and as a precautionary measure they will be taking samples and testing for any signs of the virus," he said. A national ban on animal movements has been in place since the confirmation on Aug. 3 of foot and mouth in Surrey, although there are some exceptions such as the movement of animals to slaughter, to milking or for emergency treatment.
Britain's chief veterinary officer, Debby Reynolds, said on Monday she hoped to see an easing of the movement restrictions by the end of this week, but the suspected case in Kent could thwart that hope.
Reynolds said in a statement on Tuesday that this was a "crucial week for vigilance" on the outbreak.
"The containment and eradication of foot and mouth disease remains our priority. This is why we have moved swiftly to put in place a temporary control zone while we investigate this development in Kent," she said. "At this stage disease has not been confirmed, laboratory results will follow."
More than 570 animals have been destroyed as a result of the outbreak and the European Union and other countries have banned British meat and dairy exports.
Farmers are frustrated by the movement ban and say the trade curbs are costing them 1.8 million pounds ($3.6 million) a day.
