The government will support everyone impacted by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, President Nikos Christodoulides assured the public on Tuesday, adding that exports of halloumi and other dairy products were continuing as usual.

Speaking before entering a UN-sponsored meeting in the buffer zone with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, Christodoulides said the Veterinary Services had taken measures in December when the disease first appeared in the north.

Since then, it appears that there were certain illegal activities which led to the spread of the disease, he added.