Three sheep and goat farms in the districts of Nicosia and Limassol have been affected by bluetongue so far, said on Thursday to CNA, noting that 46 animals have been infected, 10 of which have died.
When asked if there is a risk of bluetongue spreading, Mr. Pipis explained that it is a disease transmitted through the air by small midges. “You can’t control where the small midges go, so there is a risk of the disease spreading,” he noted. At the same time, the Director of Veterinary Services emphasized that bluetongue poses no risk to human health; it does not infect humans nor does it affect them in any way.
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At the same time, the Director of Veterinary Services noted that bluetongue differs from foot-and-mouth disease in terms of how it is managed, adding that “they are not diseases of the same severity.” Foot-and-mouth disease is classified as Category A, while bluetongue is not, he noted.
Referring to the key measures for protection against bluetongue, Christodoulos Pipis told CNA that the first and foremost measure is vaccination, if livestock farmers wish to vaccinate against specific serotypes of bluetongue.
Other measures, he added, include applying insect repellents to the animals and taking steps to prevent insects from accessing the animals as much as possible, by using fine-mesh screens on windows and at entry points where insects could gain access to animal housing and stabling areas.
Mr. Pipis noted that there is no risk posed by products derived from infested animals. “It simply reduces the production of these animals precisely because of the condition resulting from their infection with the virus and the lesions observed in them,” he explained.
Responding to a question, Mr. Pipis noted that bluetongue can be fatal to an animal if it becomes infected, depending on the animal’s health status, its nutritional status, and the condition of its immune system. “Whether an animal will die or not is a multifactorial issue. It is not a given that all animals will die as a result of the disease,” he concluded.
Source: CNA
