More cases of cattle plague expected in coming days
Agriculture Minister Kostas Tsiaras said Thursday that authorities expect more cases of sheep and goat plague in the coming days as animals that came into contact with the virus were found to have traveled to livestock units in 11 of the country’s 13 regions.
The virus, also known as la peste des petits ruminants (PPR), can kill between 80% and 100% of infected animals. It does not affect humans.
Until Thursday, the number of cases reported stood at 24.
The ban on movement and slaughter will also be in effect next week as announced. Speaking at a press conference, Tsiaras did not rule out the possibility that the country’s exports would be affected, especially feta.
Regarding the compensation for farmers whose animals were killed due to the disease, Tsiaras insisted that “there should be a comprehensive record of the loss of livestock, in order to determine the measures to support the agricultural world.”
