Britain is bracing itself for a tenfold increase - with a rising total of 4,000-plus cases possible by June - in a foot-and-mouth epidemic now officially worse than that of 1967.
That was the chilling backdrop to deepening confusion last night over plans for an extended mass cull to try to curb the crisis now threatening to claim half of Britain's livestock.
The Agriculture Minister, Mr Nick Brown, appeared at odds with the government's chief scientist, Prof David King, and again denied the situation was out of control. Prof King told the BBC he believed a decision had already been taken to reduce the "report-to-slaughter" time to 24 hours, and to build a two-mile "firewall" around all existing and new areas of infection across Britain.
However, Mr Brown told a press conference no decision had been taken on the chief scientist's advice, and that the government was right to consider the range of options open to it in consultation with "local people with local knowledge".
Mr Brown appeared to win the immediate backing of the president of the National Farmers' Union, Mr Ben Gill, but was instantly accused of dithering by his Conservative shadow, Mr Tim Yeo.
Prof King warned the government that if it failed to act quickly "we have quite frankly an epidemic that is out of control" and one which could see the country lose half its total livestock.
The confusion capped a difficult day for the Blair government as three scientific reports warned of a likely tenfold increase in the incidence of foot-and-mouth across the country and of the risk that, without further drastic action, the disease could become established in Britain.
The crisis also followed Mr Blair to the European summit in Stockholm, which he had originally intended to use to beat the drum for British tourism and a countryside he and his ministers insist remains open for business.
With 501 cases confirmed last night, and daily increases as high as 70 a day predicted over the next fortnight, the chief veterinary officer acknowledged the epidemic was officially worse than that experienced by British farmers in 1967.
Former prime minister Mr John Major intervened for the second time in as many days to urge Mr Blair to abandon plans for a general election on May 3rd. Meanwhile, fearful farmers' leaders in Scotland raised the prospect of closing the border with England.
At a press conference in Stockholm, Mr Blair insisted the government's policy of containment and destruction was the right one, while saying: "What we've got to do, frankly, is deliver it."
There were reports early yesterday that ministers were looking at the mechanics of postponing the scheduled county council elections, while being advised it was not necessary to bring forward emergency legislation as early as Monday, as the Conservative leader, Mr William Hague, had suggested.
However, there were strong signals behind the scenes last night that Mr Blair is not yet ready to call off his plan to hold the council and general elections on May 3rd.
A spokesman for Mr Blair insisted "the Prime Minister is not talking and thinking about general elections". However, a television camera crew picked up a conversation in which Mr Blair told Mr Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, that he had "10 days" in which to decide.
The reality back home, however, was that Mr Blair and his ministers were struggling to control the agenda, while Mr Yeo raised the political temperature by suggesting the government had been initially reluctant to act on the scale required, "possibly for political reasons".
Seizing on Mr Blair's comment to Mr Prodi, Conservative Party chairman Mr Michael Ancram said: "This shows Mr Blair's contempt for the British people, whom he told only two days ago he would listen to their representations about the timing of the election."