New foot and mouth disease strain hits Egypt-FAO

* About 4,660 animals died in suspected FMD cases

* Livestock has no immune protection against new strain

* 6.3 mln buffalo, cattle, 7.5 mln sheep, goats at risk in Egypt

March 22 (Reuters) - A new strain of foot and mouth disease (FMD) has hit Egypt and threatens to spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East, jeopardising food security in the region, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Thursday.

There have been 40,222 suspected cases of the disease in Egypt and 4,658 animals, mostly calves, have already died, the FAO said in a statement citing official estimates.

"Although foot-and-mouth disease has circulated in the country for some years, this is an entirely new introduction of a virus strain known as SAT2, and livestock have no immune protection against it," the Rome-based agency said. Read More