Another two suspect cases

The first suspected case of BSE “Mad Cow” was reported in Majorca yesterday, along with a third case in Minorca. Both farms were yesterday put in quarantine by the Balearic Agriculture Ministry as tests are being carried out. Should the tests prove positive, the total number of cases of mad cow in the Balearics will rise to four. Agriculture Ministry sources said yesterday that the first round of tests of the suspected case in Majorca, carried out at the Balearic Biological Institute, had proved positive. The initial tests on the Minorcan case are still being awaited, but what has been revealed is that the suspected third case has been reported on one of the two farms struck by “Mad Cow” earlier this year. Once the tests have been completed in Majorca, specimens from the two cows will be sent to Madrid and the main BSE test centre in Zaragoza. The final tests in Zaragoza will confirm whether or not Majorca has its first case of “Mad Cow” disease. Initial reports from the Agriculture Ministry state that the suspected case in Majorca involves a cow aged five years, which was born and reared on the farm and not destined for human consumption. The cow died on the farm and in accordance with Spanish and European Union BSE directives, samples are being taken from the cow's spine for testing.