{"id":636797,"date":"2025-12-16T21:47:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/636797\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T21:47:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:47:33","slug":"horror-lumpy-skin-disease-spreads-across-europe-as-threat-to-britain-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/636797\/","title":{"rendered":"Horror &#8216;lumpy skin disease&#8217; spreads across Europe as threat to Britain explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mass culls to stop the spread of lumpy skin disease have sparked clashes between farmers and police in France &#8211; the UK government has brought in a ban on cheeses to stop the virus crossing the Channel<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35 __className_d61b39\">Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas<\/strong> News Reporter<\/p>\n<p>20:26, 16 Dec 2025Updated 20:47, 16 Dec 2025<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_FRANCE-AGRICULTURE-HEALTH-VIRUS-PROTEST.jpg\" loading=\"eager\"  \/>(Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Government has said it will keep bans on <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/france\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"FrenchLink opens in a new tab.\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">French<\/a> cheeses &#8216;under review&#8217; after a horror disease outbreak continued to sweep across Europe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Clashes between farmers and police broke out in the Ari\u00e8ge region of southern France last week as authorities attempted to cull livestock at sites with potential cases of lumpy skin disease (LSD), with more protests planned in the weeks ahead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Usually spread by fly-bites, lumpy skin disease causes fever, mucus build-up and large, painful bumps on the skin of infected <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/animals\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"animalsLink opens in a new tab.\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">animals<\/a>, having first arrived in Europe from Africa around 10 years ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">New outbreaks this year have prompted a wave of emergency checks on livestock across the continent, with cases confirmed in<a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/italy\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" Italy Link opens in a new tab.\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\"> Italy <\/a>and France in June, and <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/spain\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Spain Link opens in a new tab.\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Spain <\/a>in October.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Britain has never had a recorded case of LSD &#8211; and this summer, the government announced a temporary ban on certain types of imported cheeses and dairy products to prevent it spreading here.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2_Lumpy_Skin_Disease_01.jpg\" alt=\"Lumpy skin disease causes fever, painful skin nodules and swollen lymph nodes in animals\" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Lumpy skin disease causes fever, painful skin nodules and swollen lymph nodes in animalsWhat does the ban cover?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In England, <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/scotland\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Scotland<\/a> and Wales, the following cattle products from Italy, France and Spain are currently banned:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"UnorderedList_unordered-list__gzblI\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"unordered-list\">\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Live cattle<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Germplasm<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Offal<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Raw milk and raw dairy products, including cheeses<\/li>\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\">Certain animal by-products (including hides and skins) unless processed to mitigate the risk of lumpy skin disease<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The restrictions do not apply to Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A Defra spokesperson told the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Mirror<\/a> tonight that the existing restrictions will be &#8220;kept under review&#8221;, adding that the government would do &#8220;whatever it takes to protect British farmers and their herds from disease&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1_FRANCE-AGRICULTURE-HEALTH-VIRUS-PROTEST.jpg\" alt=\"Cases have been spreading across Europe - but French farmers claim measures to tackle the disease are heavy-handed\" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Cases have been spreading across Europe &#8211; but French farmers claim measures to tackle the disease are heavy-handed(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Which cheeses are banned?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The ban in Great Britain specifically targets unpasteurised (raw milk) soft cheeses and dairy products that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment or aging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Defra says this aims to prevent lumpy skin disease from entering the UK, as it can be transmitted through infected cow products.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Banned products include raw milk cheeses and fresh dairy products that are treated at lower-than-pasteurisation temperatures.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2_FRANCE-AGRICULTURE-HEALTH-VIRUS-PROTEST.jpg\" alt=\"Farmers formed a blockade on the A61 motorway towards Toulouse to protest against the cull\" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Farmers formed a blockade on the A61 motorway towards Toulouse to protest against the cull(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Is there any risk to humans?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">There is no risk to humans from lumpy skin disease, as the infection is not zoonotic &#8211; meaning it cannot be spread from humans to animals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The current import restrictions are designed to stop the infection spreading to cattle, as the consequences could be devastating for the British farming industry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Over 6.5 million farm animals were culled during the foot and mouth outbreak back in 2001, with regulations requiring all animals to be killed within a two-mile radius if one case of the disease was detected. Massive &#8216;fire pits&#8217; were set up to burn the carcasses of culled livestock.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/3_20-year-anniversary-of-Foot-and-Mouth-in-North-Wales-in-2001.jpg\" alt=\"Over 6.5 million farm animals were culled in Britain during the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak \" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Over 6.5 million farm animals were culled in Britain during the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak (Image: Daily Post Wales)What has the government said about lumpy skin disease?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A Defra spokesperson told the Mirror: &#8220;This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers and their herds from disease.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cFollowing outbreaks of lumpy skin disease across Europe, we have strengthened protections by introducing temporary restrictions on a small amount of imports, including some cheeses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThe remaining restrictions will be kept under review and will continue to apply until it is determined that imports of these products no longer pose an unacceptable risk of introducing lumpy skin disease into Great Britain.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mass culls to stop the spread of lumpy skin disease have sparked clashes between farmers and police in&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":636798,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5018,3,4],"tags":[933,748,393,4884,1144,712,16,15,1764],"class_list":{"0":"post-636797","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-britain","8":"category-uk","9":"category-united-kingdom","10":"tag-animals","11":"tag-britain","12":"tag-england","13":"tag-great-britain","14":"tag-northern-ireland","15":"tag-scotland","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom","18":"tag-wales"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115731448593442924","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=636797"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636797\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/636798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=636797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=636797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=636797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}