Possible foot and mouth virus leak from lab

LONDON (Reuters) - The government said Thursday the foot and mouth virus may have leaked from the Merial facility at the Pirbright research facility at Pirbright in southeast England.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said in a statement there had been a probable unintended release of live foot and mouth virus into a drainage system at the site.

The possible leak was first discovered on November 19 and operations at Merial were stopped immediately, he added.