Biosecurity Response to Foot & Mouth Disease Outbreak

Foot and Mouth Disease was reported on Waiheke Island, Auckland, NZ in May 2005. The report turned out to be a hoax. However, it was taken very seriously due to the potentially severe biosecurity threat this highly contagious viral disease, for which there is no cure apart from slaughter, placed on our sheep, cattle, pigs, deer, and goats.

The wider effects economic effects of a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak on New Zealand include stopping our exports of meat, animal by-products and dairy products, thus damaging our trade reputation. This would flow on to rise in unemployment of an estimated 20,000 jobs, and the NZ Treasury estimated in 2003 that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would lose $10 billion over a two year period in the event of an FMD outbreak.

Response actions provided by AsureQuality

Field Staff

GIS Analysts
Epidemiologists
Livestock Technicians
Logistics Management
Track and Trace Specialists
Movement Control Experts

Action

40 AsureQuality (then AgriQuality) response experts were mobilised including epidemiologists, livestock technicians, GIS analysts, movement control experts, and logistics managers.

Satellite headquarters established on Waiheke within 24 hours
AsureQuality staff in-field for disease identification within 24 hours
Epidemiologists and contracted veterinarians assessed and monitored each farm
Stock movement reports of previous few days created using AgriBase™
Checkpoints set up at key transit points within 24 hours
Aerial reconnaissance used to validate stock data

Result

Outbreak proved to be a hoax and staff were withdrawn from the Island.

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