Greece has banned the transportation of sheep and goats throughout the nation to attempt to comprise a extremely contagious an infection often called “goat plague”.
“The motion of sheep and goats for breeding, fattening and slaughter is banned all through Greece,” the agriculture ministry mentioned.
It mentioned new an infection instances had been detected within the central Larissa area and in Corinth within the south.
The virus, also called Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), can kill between 80% and 100% of contaminated animals. It doesn’t have an effect on people.
In an announcement on Monday, the Greek agriculture ministry mentioned the ban had been launched “with the goal of limiting the unfold and eradication of the illness”.
It mentioned that livestock farmers, cheesemakers, slaughterhouse house owners and feed suppliers had been knowledgeable in regards to the new restrictions.
On the weekend, ministry officers additionally held pressing conferences with native authorities within the areas the place the brand new PPR instances had been detected.
The ministry mentioned an investigation was below option to decide the supply of the outbreak, not ruling out “suspicious imports” from overseas.
Greece can also be liaising with the EU and veterinary companies of the bloc’s member states.
EU laws state that the complete flock have to be culled as soon as a PPR case is confirmed, with the affected farm then disinfected.
At the least 7,000 animals have already been culled in Greece because the illness first surfaced within the nation on 11 July.
Greece has the best variety of goats in Europe. Goat and sheep milk is used to make feta cheese – a trademark Greek product.
PPR was first reported in Ivory Coast in 1942 and has since unfold globally.
