PRAGUE, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Czech Republic is set to ban the transport of susceptible animals from Hungary starting Tuesday following an outbreak of highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) there, Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny announced Monday.

"In response to the FMD outbreak in Hungary, we are adopting a series of preventive measures in cooperation with the State Veterinary Administration. The goal is to prevent the infection from reaching the territory of the Czech Republic," Vyborny said on social media platform X.

The ban also applies to Slovakia, except for animals transported directly to slaughterhouses, according to the minister. Veterinary inspectors, assisted by Czech Police and customs officials, will begin border inspections on Tuesday.

Additional preventive measures include banning un-disinfected vehicles from entering farms and restricting entry of individuals who have been in Hungary within the past 21 days.

FMD primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, excessive salivation, and blisters on the mouth and feet.

The disease was last detected in the Czech Republic in 1975, according to the State Veterinary Administration.

Hungary last week reported its first FMD case in more than 50 years after the virus was detected at a cattle farm in the northwest near the Slovak border.

This outbreak follows a recent suspected FMD outbreak in Germany's Brandenburg region, highlighting growing concerns about the virus's regional spread. Officials across Central Europe are closely monitoring the situation as both nations implement stringent measures to contain further transmission. Enditem

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