JUST as Herefordshire farmers began to think the foot-and-mouth outbreaks had slowed down, more cases were confirmed in the county this week.

The farming community and the Ministry of Agriculture officials have been cautious about stating when the peak might come and their pessimism has proved to be justified.

The worry is that some of the new outbreaks in different parts of the country have been in areas unaffected by the disease so far and there is concern that the crisis could be moving into a new phase.

The ministry says it is baffled why three farms in Worcestershire -- two at Tibberton and another at Hindlip --- have become infected. None has been connected with other foot-and-mouth farms.

The case near Caerphilly in Glamorgan is many miles from outbreaks.

The ministry are worried that the disease may have been transmitted by vehicles or people.

Despite bids to promote tourism with the Easter break approaching, the outlook for local farmers remains bleak. Outbreaks at St Weonards and Orcop have meant numerous culls at neighbouring farms. Farmers in the Craswall area had their worst fears realised at the weekend when nine farms were declared contact premises and almost 3,000 sheep and 500 cattle were slaughtered.

On Wednesday, there were 38 cases listed in Herefordshire with an outbreak confirmed at Home Farm, Pencraig, near Ross-on-Wye, involving 2,900 sheep. Other confirmed cases were at Marsdale, Ross-on-Wye, White Haywood and Town farms , Craswall, and Little Castlefields, Garway Hill.

In both Hereford and Worcester there were 64 cases. There were 53 in Gloucestershire with the number expected to increase, ten in Monmouthshire, 31 in Powys and six in Shropshire.

Last Sunday, there was a confirmed case at Little Froome Farm, Avenbury, Bromyard, involving 140 sheep and at Green Hill Farm, Woolhope. On Saturday, a case was confirmed at Old Hall Farm, Orcop, and on Thursday there were four cases confirmed in the county at Black House, Much Dewchurch, New Forest Farm, Craswall, Merri Folde, Orcop, and Yew Tree Farm, Garway Common.

Hopes that the disease was losing its grasp in Gloucestershire were also dashed with a confirmed case at Manor Farm, Clifford's Mesne, near Newent, and one at Saul, near Frampton-on-Severn.

Foot and mouth has spread within Monmouthshire where cases were confirmed in sheep at the Cider House Farm at Llandenny Walks, near Usk. The confirmed case among sheep near Caerphilly was also worrying as besides being the first in the area it was close to a number of farms and stables.

The sometimes exceedingly long delays in dealing with slaughtered animals is also causing farmers distress as they are often forced to face looking out onto piles of cattle and sheep carcasses. The piling of carcasses near roadside locations is continuing to bring protests. At the weekend, the A4080 Bredon to Tewkesbury road in Gloucestershire was closed by the police because of contamination by slaughtered sheep.