EU Inspectors to Check Ovine Rinderpest Control Effort in Bulgaria
The European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety will conduct an inspection in Bulgaria between July 17 and 21, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) reported on Monday. The inspectors will look into the BFSA's work in controlling an outbreak of ovine rinderpest in the country.
An emergency centre was set up on Sunday to coordinate the suppression of ovine rinderpest. It includes the leadership of the Food Safety Agency and the Interior Ministry, and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Around 4,000 sheep and goats have been culled so far in the southeastern Bulgarian regions of Bourgas and Yambol due to the ovine rinderpest outbreak. The largescale effort has met with fierce protests by farmers.
Ovine rinderpest (also known as peste des petits ruminants, or PPR) was first reported in Yambol Region on June 21. That was the first time that the disease had been detected within the territory of Bulgaria and of the European Union. Ovine rinderpest is present in neighboring Turkey, but it is unclear how the disease has reached Bulgarian territory.
By order of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, an emergency centre was set up on Sunday to coordinate the suppression of ovine rinderpest. It includes the leadership of the Food Safety Agency and the Interior Ministry, and the Ministry of Agriculture.
During its first meeting Monday, the emergency centre took three additional measures: cancelled all public gatherings of large groups of people in the 10-km security zone of the outbreaks; stepped up vehicle checks; and daily cleaning of unspecified "locations" in the 10-km zone. The measures were announced by the head of the energency centre, Interior Minister Valentin Radev.
Ovine rinderpest has been diagnosed in three livestock farms in Bolyarovo Municipality, Yambol Region.
The test results have been confirmed by the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), which is the EU's ovine rinderpest reference laboratory.
The report comes three weeks after an outbreak of ovine rinderpest (also known as peste des petits ruminants, or PPR) was first reported in Yambol Region. That was the first time that the disease had been detected within the territory of Bulgaria and of the European Union. Ovine rinderpest is present in neighbouring Turkey, but it is unclear how the disease has reached Bulgarian territory.
Source: BTA Daily News
