Warning Australia is at greater risk of foot and mouth disease as Bali deals with outbreak

Australians are being warned of an ongoing concern on the popular island of Bali which could have dire consequences on our own shores.

A leading analyst and veterinarian has renewed calls for Australia to put stricter protocols in place for travellers returning from popular spots like Bali, following the rapid and ongoing outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Indonesia.

Dr Ross Ainsworth wrote in the Southeast Asian Beef Market Report that with the growing number of travellers heading from Australia to parts of Indonesia – especially Bali – the risk of the disease coming back to our shores was heightened.

“In my opinion, the risk [of transmission of FMD from Indonesia to Australia] is extremely high over the next one to six months,” Dr Ainsworth wrote.

In May, Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (AWE) was advised of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia with an initial calculation of more than 2000 head of cattle infected in provinces across North Sumatra and East Java.

There are renewed concerns around foot and mouth disease coming to Australia. Picture: Andi/AFP

Until this outbreak, Indonesia had been FMD-free since 1986, a status recognised internationally by the World Organisation for Animal Health in 1990.

On Friday, Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture said the disease was detected in 63 cows at three locations around Bali, PerthNow reported.

Last month, a global agriculture analyst said Aussies should be banned from travel to Bali for six months following the rapid disease outbreak.

Global AgriTrends analyst Simon Quilty told Yahoo News he is concerned about Indonesia’s “slow response” to the outbreak, and should seriously consider taking action now, given the disease can be carried on clothes and shoes.

“As a country we seriously need to think about banning people going to Bali, as extreme as that sounds,” he said, warning we are creating disease “highways through each of our airports” where return travellers from Indonesia pass through.

Warnings have increased given the number of Australians heading to Bali.

Mr Quilty predicts that if urgent action is not taken in Indonesia over the next eight to 12 months, the disease will likely spread to other regions and even into East Timor and Papua New Guinea.

Dr Ainsworth agreed to a degree, saying stricter protocols should be implemented to stop the spread to Australia.

“Until Bali is fully protected by vaccination of its cattle and pig populations, an increase in the attention paid to tourists returning to Australia, especially their footwear, seems to be warranted,” he said.

“Considering the magnitude of the impact of an outbreak of FMD in Australia and the dramatically increased risk presented by the current epidemic in Indonesia, it would be appropriate to upgrade the biosecurity measures to match this increasing risk.

These are the first cases of foot and mouth disease Indonesia has seen since 1986. Picture: Perdiansyah/AFP

“Travellers are already used to a multitude of annoying Covid interventions.

“Additional requirements such as ensuring shoes are clean and walking through a wet sponge infused with disinfectant before boarding and after leaving the flight would seem to be simple and sensible measures which might help to address the new level of risk.”

Foot and mouth disease affects cloven-hoofed species including sheep, goats, buffalo, camels, deer and pigs. It can be spread from animal to animal and by contaminated vehicles and equipment.

Symptoms include fever, depression, reduced appetite, increased salivation and lameness.

The highly infectious disease usually results in the humane destruction of infected animals.