21/08/06
The European Commission has been informed of confirmed outbreaks
of Bluetongue in parts of Belgium and Germany, close to the border
with the Netherlands.
In Belgium, the virus was confirmed on 11 holdings in sheep in
the Liege province, while German authorities reported findings
in cattle on 8 holdings and in sheep on 1 holding in the Aachen/Düren
area of the region of North Rhein Westphalia . Further investigations
and laboratory testing are currently being performed at the Community
Reference Laboratory in Pirbright (UK), to identify the strain
involved. Both countries have established 20km standstill zones
around the infected farms, and have adapted the 100km protection
zone and 150km surveillance zone that was put in place in response
to the Dutch outbreak on Friday. The situation
will be discussed by Member State veterinary experts in the Standing
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health this afternoon, and
the Commission will adopt a decision on the measures to be taken,
in line with Directive 2000/75 on the control and eradication of
bluetongue.
Bluetongue is a non-contagious, insect-transmitted, viral disease
which affects domestic and wild ruminants. It does not affect humans
and there is no risk of the disease being contracted or spread
through meat or milk. In Europe it is usually only found in parts
of the southerly Mediterranean countries, but last week the first
ever outbreak above the 50°N parallel was reported by the Dutch
authorities. The Belgian and German outbreaks are both close to
where Bluetongue was reported in the Netherlands and are located
within the 150km radius surveillance zone that was established
around the Dutch outbreak.
Within 20km standstill zones that have now been set up around
the infected farms, all ruminants must be kept inside at night,
all movement of live animals on or off farms is prohibited, and
the use of insecticide is compulsory in an effort to eradicate
the Culicoides mites that carry the disease. In the protection
and surveillance zones, strict controls must be carried out on
all live animals and movement of live ruminants in or out of the
zones is banned.
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