The North's Department of Agriculture has confirmed it is "actively examining" a farm in Banbridge, Co Down, for signs of foot-and-mouth disease. The farm belongs to a livestock importer questioned by the RUC this week about his role in the transportation of sheep from Carlisle market in the north of England to a farm in Meigh, Co Armagh, officially confirmed to have been infected.
Twenty-one sheep from the consignment were found on the farm, with most of the 271 sheep in the original consignment believed to have been transported into the Republic.
In a statement the importer, Mr Jim Bethel, said he was co-operating with investigators and did not know or suspect the sheep were infected.
Ms Brid Rodgers, the North's Agriculture Minister, said yesterday she was not aware of claims that locals in south Armagh were not co-operating with the 3km exclusion zone placed around the infected farm, where sheep were incinerated on Wednesday.
"I know that the people out there will co-operate with the authorities to ensure that we stamp out this disease which has such terrible implications if we don't," she said. Cattle at a neighbouring farm in Meigh were yesterday incinerated as a precaution. A spokesman from the Department of Agriculture said two suspected cases in Co Tyrone and Co Derry had been ruled out. The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, said the illegal transportation of the animals leading to the outbreak would have to be addressed, but immediate attention must now be given to containment of the disease.
He announced the establishment of a cross-departmental consultation group, chaired by Ms Rodgers, to co-ordinate the effort.
Meanwhile, events across the North have been cancelled, including the St Patrick's Day parade, this weekend's Alliance party conference and church services. The Royal Mail has asked people living on farms to collect mail from their gates, while schools have been asked to postpone non-essential activities.
However, the Belfast Giants ice hockey team said it would proceed with two home games at the Odyssey arena. George Jackson, in Derry, adds: Sausages, meat-based sandwiches and tinned dog food were among items confiscated by gardai in Co Donegal yesterday as they stopped and checked cars being driven in from Derry.
All 50 approved Border crossings between Ballyshannon in the west and Muff in the east had a constant Garda presence and mobile units of the Army also took part in the operation yesterday, which resulted in long traffic tailbacks.
Meanwhile, Limavady Borough Council in Co Derry yesterday announced that officials were considering placing sterilisation mats outside every public building in the area.