March 22, 2001
		Foot and Mouth Found in the Netherlands According to an Associated Press report, the Netherlands confirmed its first cases of foot-and-mouth disease on Wednesday, joining France as the second country on the European continent to detect the illness. The outbreak originated in Britain. Tests indicated that four cows contracted foot and mouth disease on a farm near Olst, in the eastern part of the country. All animals on that farm were destroyed immediately. Additionally, Dutch authorities revealed that approximately 500 goats were slaughtered on a farm in Oene after foot and mouth symptoms were noticed last weekend. The blood results will not be final until Friday, but Agriculture Ministry spokesperson Martina de Ham said, "The symptoms were so obvious that they leave no doubt." The government has halted exports and reinstated a recently lifted nationwide ban on transporting livestock, including chickens. In Britain, the government has announced an advertising campaign to lure visitors back to the countryside, saying that canals, many historic properties and possibly some footpaths would be reopened. So far 223,000 animals have been killed in the United Kingdom, and about 125,000 are targeted for slaughter.