Simulation exercise: Foot and mouth disease in Denmark-2

Dr Per Starcke Henriksen, Chief Veterinary Officer of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Glostrup, Denmark, informed the OIE that a simulation exercise on foot and mouth disease (FMD) codenamed “VET-Focus” will take place on 18 November 2014 in Denmark.

The global aim of this simulation exercise is to test the National FMD Contingency Plan at central and regional levels.

The exercise will focus on crisis management at the National Disease Control Centre (NDCC) and at three Local Disease Control Centres (LDCCs). The specific objectives will include to:

•  activate and operate the crisis management organisation,
•  handle the flow of information,
•  coordinate operation and resources,
•  handle crisis communication,
•  prepare veterinary inputs with regard to risk assessments and implementation of eradication measures.

Exercise “VET-Focus” will be conducted with the participation of external partners such as the Danish Agriculture and Food Council, the Technical University of Denmark, the Police, the Danish Emergency Management Agency and the Feed, Dairy, Meat and Rendering Industries and others.

A full scale 5 day duration FMD simulation exercise is scheduled for January 2015.

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World Animal Health Information and Analysis Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
[email protected]