Mad cow disease explained: What is BSE and can humans get it?

There were around 100,000-200,000 confirmed cases of mad cow disease in the early 1990s (PA) - (PA Archive)

A single atypical case of BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease, has been found in a cow on a farm in Essex, officials have said.

The animal showed clinical signs of the disease and was humanely culled, the Animal and Plant Health Agency added. Because of this there is no risk to public health or food safety as the cow did not enter the food chain.