French officials have confirmed a second seperate outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, this time in a sheep from a farm in the Seine-et-Marne department east of Paris, which have since been destroyed.
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The three sheep were among a large flock slaughtered on March 1st as a precautionary measure. Samples were taken which later revealed the presence of the virus, a statement from the regional governor's office said.
Earlier today, France's Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that six cattle, found with symptoms yesterday, were suffering from the disease.
Some 113 cows from a farm in the village of La Baroche-Gondouin in north-west France were slaughtered yesterday as a precaution, a representative of the regional Mayenne government office said.
The test results confirmed the first reported case of the disease on the European mainland.
France has reported several suspected cases earlier this month after the disease first surfaced in Britain and announced plans to destroy 20,000 sheep imported from Britain after February 1st.
Some 30,000 sheep that had contact with the British animals were also killed.
Sheep from France showing suspected symptoms are being slaughtered in central Italy. The sheep were imported from France and other countries by a meat processing plant at Pianella. The area around the plant has been cordoned off and a quarantine imposed.
PA/AFP