TIMELINE-Outbreak of foot and mouth disease

Wed Aug 8, 2007 7:09pm BST

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(Reuters) - The government confirmed a second outbreak of foot and mouth disease in a herd of cattle in southern England on Tuesday, raising fears the highly damaging animal disease may be spreading.

Here is a chronology of key events since the disease was found last week:

August 3, 2007 - Britain's agriculture department confirms finding the virus of foot and mouth disease in cattle on a farm near Guildford in Surrey, close to London.

August 4 - The United States, Ireland and Japan ban British pork imports. Britain tries to contain the outbreak by culling cattle at the farm.

August 5 - A laboratory run by Merial Animal Health, jointly owned by U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co. and France's Sanofi-Aventis SA , around 5 miles (8 km) from where a herd of cattle was infected, are sealed off under suspicion.

August 6 - The European Union, South Korea and Russia ban British livestock, meat and dairy exports.

August 7 - Veterinarians confirm a second case of the disease within a 10-km radius (6 mile) protection zone set up around the farm where the disease first broke out.

Source: Reuters

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