EON

Report Details Cost Of Animal Disease Spread

Washington, D.C.-If a new animal lab was located at any of the five proposed sites and an outbreak of animal disease occurs it could devastate the U.S. Economy according to a new report from the Homeland Security Department.

The new report looks at the cost of such an animal disease outbreak if the lab that is currently moved from its location on Plum Island, New York, to one of five other locations.

Some people feel that the current laboratory is fine, and the highly contagious animal studies that are done at Plum Island Labs are meant to be kept away from the US animal population by a physical barrier.

Because Plum Island is on an island an outbreak up to this time of any of the highly contagious diseases, such as hoof and mouth diseases, has been unlikely.

There is research and efforts in some areas of the US Government to relocate the labs to areas near livestock herds in Texas or Kansas.

An outbreak from a lab on the US mainland could literally result in costs to the taxpayer and the United States that could top $4 billion dollars.