The transport of sheep in Greece is banned for ten days after smallpox that broke out in northern Greece was detected in animals as far south as the prefectures of Magnissia and in Corinthia, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food announced on Tuesday.
One case each was identified in the prefectures of Magnissia and Corinthia.
The transport is banned for all purposes: reproduction, fattening, grazing, and slaughter, the ministry said after a teleconference that included Minister Kostas Tsiaras, Deputy Minister Christos Kellas, and Secretary General Giorgos Stratakos. Also participating were regional governors and deputy governors responsible for the primary sector, and representatives of farming cooperatives, meat and feta producers, dairy industries, industrial slaughter houses, and the Veterinary Directorate.
"Our country faces one more serious epidemiological threat, as a spike in smallpox has been registered among sheep. Smallpox is an extremely contagious illness that - I underline this - does not threaten public health, as it is an illness that is not transmitted to humans. Unfortunately, however, it is particularly contagious in animals," Tsiaras said. He said the ban on transportation would ensure that the spread of the disease is limited and that the crisis would be dealt with in the best possible way, as happened with the plague of small ruminants.
In Magnissia and Corinth, livestock breeders, dairy producers, slaughterhouses and feed suppliers have been warned the smallpox breakout, while veterinarian teams are carrying out inspections in the protection zone of a 3 km radius and the surveillance zone of a 10 km radius.
So far, authorities have identified 104 disease foci, of which 81 are located in Evros prefecture. The rest are found in Komotini, Xanthi, Kavala, Serres, Magnissia, and Corinthia. Until now, and following EU directives, 17,500 sheep have been slaughtered.
Following the outbreak, Rural Development and Food Minister Tsiaras postponed his trip to Morocco.