Cyprus plans mass livestock vaccination to halt spread of foot-and-mouth disease

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus said Wednesday it plans to vaccinate thousands of goats, sheep, hogs and cows in an effort to contain an outbreak of a foot-and-mouth disease that threatens exports of halloumi cheese and will result in the culling of at least 13,000 animals.

Agriculture and Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou said European Union experts are in the country to oversee an initial round of vaccinations at livestock farms inside a three-kilometer (1.9 mile) radius from the outbreak’s epicenter.

So far, 11 farms have been affected by the outbreak in four communities close to the country’s southern coastline. Crews have been deployed to spray disinfectant on vehicles entering the exclusion zone to avoid any possible transfer of the highly-contagious viral disease that induces fever and blister-like sores in the mouth, drastically reduces milk production and leaves animals weakened.

“Strictly obeying biosecurity measures is absolutely essential as they are a key tool to containing the virus,” Panayiotou told a news conference, adding that private veterinarians have been recruited to help state authorities administer the vaccine.

A first batch of 10,000 vaccine shots transferred from the country’s breakaway Turkish Cypriot northern part will be used initially until an order of more than half a million doses arrives from European manufacturers.

Soteria Georgiadou, a senior official at Cyprus' Veterinary Services, said the authorities had given a number of EU-supplied vaccine doses to Turkish Cypriot farmers after the disease first appeared in livestock farms in the north at the end of 2025. Turkish Cypriots have agreed to give a portion of those doses back.

Georgiadou said that 263 cattle have already been culled and another 13,000 sheep, goats and swine will be destroyed. The animals will be buried in designated sites. She said vaccinations may be expanded to cover a 10-kilometer radius from the disease’s epicenter while disinfections will continue for at least a couple of more months.

Cyprus was cleaved along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aiming to unite the island with Greece. A Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence is recognized only by Turkey. Although Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, only the southern, Greek Cypriot part where the internationally recognized government is seated enjoys full membership benefits.

President Nikos Christodoulides said the government would support farmers and compensate them for their losses. He said the disease may have spread from the north because of “possibly illegal activities,” which he didn’t specify.

The authorities have reacted quickly to protect the island’s production of halloumi, a squeaky, white cheese that can be grilled and which is fast becoming a favorite in foreign markets. Exports of the cheese reached just over 200 million euros ($236 million) in the first half of 2025, reportedly surpassing the island’s key pharmaceuticals sector.

Marios Constantinou, head of the Cheesemakers Association, said halloumi production and exports to the island’s primary markets in the EU, the U.K. and Australia have been assured due to safety measures during the manufacturing process.

Panayiotou said no new incidents of the disease have so far been identified outside the 11 affected farms and strict protocols to regularly test samples from animals is in place. The consumption of meat, even after vaccination is safe, she added.

An employee sprays a car inside a blocked section of a livestock zone containing thousands of goats, sheep, and cows following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Troulloi area near Larnaca, Cyprus, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A cow stands in a livestock containment zone holding thousands of goats, sheep, and cattle after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Kelia, near Larnaca, Cyprus, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cows stand in a livestock containment zone holding thousands of goats, sheep, and cattle after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Kelia, near Larnaca, Cyprus, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

An employee sprays a car inside a blocked section of a livestock zone containing thousands of goats, sheep, and cows following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Kelia area near Larnaca, Cyprus, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

An employee sprays a car inside a blocked section of a livestock zone containing thousands of goats, sheep, and cows following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Kelia area near Larnaca, Cyprus, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA has rejected Benfica’s last-minute appeal against the provisional suspension of Gianluca Prestianni, meaning he remains ruled out of the Champions League playoff second leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Prestianni was provisionally suspended on Monday for one match following accusations he racially abused Vinícius Júnior in the first leg last week.

The game was halted for nearly 10 minutes after the Madrid forward scored and then celebrated by the Benfica corner flag, upsetting local fans and players. After being confronted by Prestianni, Vinícius accused the Argentine player of calling him “monkey.”

Prestianni, who covered his mouth with his shirt while talking to Vinícius, has denied racially insulting the Brazil star, who is Black.

UEFA said Wednesday, hours before the game was scheduled to begin, that its appeal body dismissed Benfica’s application against the suspension and that it confirmed the decision of its control, ethics and disciplinary body from Monday.

During the game, the anti-racism protocol was activated but no further action was taken as there had been no evidence against Prestianni.

Vinícius’ teammate Kylian Mbappé said he heard Prestianni use the racial slur five times.

But Benfica has supported its player, claiming Madrid players who said they heard the insult were too far away. The Portuguese club said it welcomed UEFA’s investigation and that it “fully supports and believes the version presented” by Prestianni, “whose conduct while with the club has always been guided by respect” toward everyone.

José Mourinho also backed Prestianni and criticized Vinícius for his celebration after the goal – for which the player was booked. The Benfica coach said something always happens in stadiums where Vinícius plays.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said Tuesday it was wrong to use Vinícius’ celebration to justify the alleged act of racism.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany was among those who also criticized Mourinho for attacking Vinícius after last week’s match.

Mourinho is suspended for the second leg because he was sent off late in the first leg for referee dissent. But he also traveled to Madrid with Prestianni, who trained with the rest of the team on Wednesday before UEFA rejected his club's appeal.

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Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni fights for the ball against Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)