Greece announces nationwide restrictions to tackle ‘goat plague’ outbreak
31st July 2024
Authorities in Greece have ordered nationwide restrictions for goats and sheep to tackle a deadly outbreak.
Costas Tsiaras, Greek minister of agriculture and rural development, announced the ban on the commercial slaughter of goats and sheep as well as movement for reproduction, expanding measures already in effect in parts of central Greece where the outbreak was first reported, Associated Press Reporters confirmed.
The PPR virus, also known as the ‘goat plague’, is a highly contagious disease affecting goats and sheep.
It causes severe illness and death of livestock, however, it has no adverse effect on human health, according to Greek officials.
The regional governor Dimitris Kouretas said last week that about 7,000 animals in herds where the disease has been identified have been culled in the hardest-hit central Thessaly region, with another 1,200 to be added early this week.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) describes PPR as “characterised by severe morbidity and mortality rates” with a high economic impact in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, where goats and sheep are an important source of food.
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