The spread of the foot-and-mouth epidemic is "flattening out", according to the chief scientific adviser to the British government. In an assessment of the spread of the disease likely to increase the chance of a June general election, Prof David King said the latest figures on the epidemic showed there was a steady decrease in the average number of new cases.
The average number of cases recorded each day for the week ending April 8th was 32 compared with 43 for the previous week. The number of cases confirmed on Tuesday and Monday - 41 and 29 respectively - were "in line with the declining trend", Prof King said. "The flattening out of the epidemic has now been confirmed and the data even shows a possible downward trend since the end of March. These figures give reason for cautious optimism."
Visiting farmers and their representatives in Devon, Mr Blair urged caution. It was correct, he said, that Prof King's advice indicated the number of new cases was beginning to fall, but he warned against complacency because there was "still a lot to be done" to eradicate the disease and to rescue farmers and the tourism industry.
Prof King said there had been a "significant improvement" in meeting the 24-hour report-to-slaughter target over the last 10 days, and most cases not within the target were completed "shortly afterwards".
Officials had not yet achieved the 48-hour report-to-slaughter target on farms close to confirmed cases, but they were "moving closer and closer to achieving that".
Responding to reports that some farmers had moved their livestock illegally and that trading standards officers were investigating 350 cases of alleged illegal movements, Prof King said he condemned "dodgy practices", but if the majority of farmers were acting illegally, "we would not see the downward trend I'm talking about".
The junior agriculture minister, Baroness Hayman, has announced plans to further ease the restrictions on the movement of livestock. Under a scheme which will operate by April 23rd, farmers unaffected by foot-and-mouth but based within infected areas will be allowed to send their animals for slaughter.
The scheme will also apply to animals which need to be moved for welfare reasons, a key demand of the chairman of the National Farmers Union in Devon, Mr David Hill, who said he would rather see farmers break the law than jeopardise animal welfare.
Officials also hope to reduce the 10 km restriction zones in Melton Mowbray, Northampton and part of Somerset to enable farmers on up to 2,000 holdings to move their livestock for slaughter or welfare reasons.
The Environment Minister and head of the Rural Task Force, Mr Michael Meacher, announced a £15 million sterling short-term aid package to help rural businesses worst hit.
The money will be targeted in areas such as Devon, Cumbria and the Welsh borders.