Greece has implemented a ban on moving sheep and goats from farms in an effort to control the spread of a viral infection known as “goat plague,” according to a statement from the agriculture ministry on Monday.
The virus, officially named Peste des Petits Ruminants, is highly contagious among goats and sheep but does not affect humans. It has a mortality rate of up to 7 percent in infected animals.
According to Reuters and other news sources reporting on the issue, approximately 8,000 animals have been culled and over 200,000 tested, primarily in the central Thessaly region where the outbreak was first detected on July 11, Georgios Stratakos, a senior agriculture ministry official announced.
Over the weekend, two additional cases were identified at farms in the central Larissa region and the southern Corinth area, the ministry confirmed on Monday.
“Strengthening security measures nationwide is necessary for preventive purposes and aims to limit the spread and eliminate the disease,” the ministry stated.
PPR was initially identified in Ivory Coast in 1942 and has since spread globally. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates annual global losses due to the disease as high as $2.1 billion.
Greece, which has the largest goat population in Europe, relies heavily on goat milk for its iconic feta cheese, making the industry economically significant, Stratakos noted.
Following the detection of a case, the entire flock is culled, the affected farm is disinfected, and animals in nearby areas are tested, following European Union protocols.
The agriculture ministry stated that Greece continues to analyze the epidemiological data and investigate potential import routes to pinpoint the source of the outbreak.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada have not reported cases of PPR and are considered PPR-free.
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