Hungary Alleges 'Biological Attack' Behind Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak

Hungary has raised concerns that a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the country's first in over 50 years, may have been the result of a deliberate biological attack. The outbreak began on a cattle farm in northwest Hungary and has since spread to neighboring Slovakia, prompting Austria to close border crossings and triggering mass culling of livestock. Hungarian officials are investigating the possibility that the virus was introduced intentionally, potentially from a laboratory. The highly contagious disease affects cloven-hoofed animals and can cause severe economic damage to the agricultural sector. The situation has sparked regional alarm and heightened biosecurity measures across Europe.