FAQ issued on 17 January 2025
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease in cloven-hoofed animals. The FMD virus is not hazardous to humans. On 10 January 2025, FMD was detected on a water buffalo farm in the district of Märkisch-Oderland in Brandenburg. This is the first case of FMD in Germany since 1988. By that, Germany has lost its FMD-free status in accordance with the requirements of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) has compiled a selection of questions and answers below.