There are now nine confirmed cases of the disease in the Monmouth area - one each at St. Briavels, Llancloudy, Llangarron, and Peterstow, four at St Weonards and the most recent at Brook House, Grosmont. Fortunately various suspected cases including those at Raglan and Llanvethrine have been cleared but there is a new suspected case in the Skenfrith area. Following the most recent case to come to light at Brook House Farm, where some 400 ewes and their lambs were kept, local police officers were informed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the situation on Saturday morning and swiftly closed off the road running alongside the farm buildings until the council were able to provide more appropriate equipment. Following valuation the animals were slaughtered on Monday, and by the middle of the same evening the disposal of the carcasses by burning was evident to residents in the area.
Local Police Sergeant Mike Gray praised the local community for the great effort that had been made in the area in an attempt at halting the spread of the disease.
"It has been quite noticeable that rural traffic has been much reduced and that very few agricultural vehicles have been on the roads, I fully empathise with farmers and their families in the current situation and with the difficulties they are having to endure. There had been almost no reports of unlawful livestock movements in the area and I praise livestock holders for their respect of the current government controls that are in place.
"It has also been reassuring that reports of ramblers and people walking their dogs on footpaths which cross agricultural land has been almost non existent. Our officers will continue to carry out patrols of the neighbourhood and I hope there will be no need for anybody to have a 'brush with the law'."
There was some good news at Raglan when the farm at Brooklands, Chepstow Road, where an outbreak of foot and mouth had been suspected, was given the all clear. The Raglan abattoir, which had been forced to close while the farm was under suspicion, was in operation on Monday, but Bill James of the family firm said it was getting more and more difficult to obtain stock.
A group of German visitors from Monmouth's twin town of Waldbronn have called off their visit to Monmouth because of the outbreak.
Monmouth and District Angling Society have closed all their waters for the duration of the outbreak.
The Haberdashers' Monmouth Schools have brought in their own measures during the crisis, laying down disinfectant mats at the entrance to the schools.