All countries are at some risk, but in an official statement the FAO names Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and India as being areas of risk. And not only in these high-risk countries, but everywhere in fact, regulations need to be put in place quickly to protect the consumers and the cattle. As a first step, the FAO urges a ban on the use of meat and bone meal in the food of cows, sheep and goats. Even better would be a general ban on meat and bone meal. Above all, an urgent study must be carried out into affected cattle, at the feed producers and in the meatpacking industry.
Speed is essential, because Europe shows how great the danger is.
According to the FAO, the situation there will become even more serious. The risk varies from case to case, notes the UN organisation. Sometimes, although meat and bone meal is imported, it's used for feeding poultry. In that case the risk of infection is virtually nil. And for many cows it doesn't automatically mean an increased risk.