As a precautionary measure following the confirmation of two cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the UK, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imposed a temporary ban on all imports of live cloven-hoofed animals and their products from the European country.

The move follows the disposal of some 1,935 imported and local livestock in Jeddah in the UAE after vets discovered that they were carrying diseases of one type or another during inspections carried out at livestock markets. However, no direct link to the UK FMD outbreak has been made.