CROATIA TAKES STEPS TO PREVENT SPREAD OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

ZAGREB, July 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said on Friday it had taken all measures to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease that had appeared in Macedonia. The Ministry's Veterinary Department said in a statement it banned the import and transit of cattle and products of animal origin from Macedonia, Turkey, Albania and Israel. Traffic control at all border crossings was stepped up and all certificates on the import into and transit through Croatia of all animals and products of animal origin were declared invalid. The statement said that sufficient amounts of vaccine and diagnostic agents had been secured. The Veterinary Department warned citizens that humans could transer the virus to great distances on their clothes, shoes, hands and even in hair. The disease was last recorded in Croatia in 1978 when a contingent of cattle in transit from Hungary to the southern Adriatic port of Ploce was found to be infected. (hina) vm 051458 MET jul 96