There should be no new cases of foot-and-mouth in the UK by the June general election, scientists said yesterday.
A group of leading experts, led by the government's chief scientific adviser, Prof David King, said there should be no more cases during the final days of campaigning.
The House of Commons agriculture select committee was also told the disease should be eradicated by July or August - with or without a policy of vaccination.
The predictions came as the Public Health Laboratory Service urged people not to panic over three suspected cases of foot-and-mouth in humans.
Samples taken from the three people are being analysed at the Central Public Health Laboratory in London but results are not expected until next week.
Meanwhile a calf which survived a foot-and-mouth cull is expected to live at least one more night after a farmer's wife asked Ministry of Agriculture vets to leave the farm.
The Ministry of Agriculture said it was still taking legal advice on the future of the calf, named Phoenix, which has attracted huge publicity.
The white heifer was born at Clarence Farm, at Membury, near Axminster, Devon.
Mrs Michaela Board and her husband, Philip, help run the farm, which is owned by Mr Board's older brother Fred, who lives nearby.
"The calf is still alive. Nothing has happened. We have asked them to leave our property and get a court injunction. We have told them unless they get a court injunction they cannot kill it," Mrs Board said.