Deadline passes with no sign of foot and mouth

With the foot and mouth extortion deadline now past, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) says it is increasingly hopeful the letter to the Prime Minister threatening its release is nothing more than a hoax.

The letter, received on Tuesday, said foot and mouth had been released on Waiheke Island on Monday and if demands weren't met another release would be made somewhere else in New Zealand.

But vets testing animals on Waiheke have found no sign of the disease, having expected that the first signs should be visible by today.

MAF's director of Biosecurity Barry O'Neil said this morning there were still no signs of foot and mouth.

No signs of foot and mouth had been found on Waiheke Island. But Dr O'Neil said the operation on the island would nevertheless continue until May 23.

- NZPA