After a teleconference held by the Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras with the Deputy Minister Christos Kellas, the Secretary General of Rural Development and Food Giorgos Stratakos and the regional governors and producers, it was decided to ban the movement of sheep and goats for breeding, fattening, grazing and slaughter, throughout the territory for ten days.

The upgrading of security measures, after the detection of smallpox cases in Magnesia and Corinthia, is deemed necessary for the entire country for preventive reasons and with the aim of limiting the spread and eradication of the disease, following the expansion of the zoonosis in Magnesia and Corinthia.

At the same time, the services of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, in collaboration with the Regions, continue the epidemiological investigation regarding the origin of the cases.

It is noted that in the livestock units in Magnesia and Corinthia where the new cases of smallpox were detected (one case in each area), all the protocols provided for by the EU regulations have been activated. Already teams of veterinarians are conducting checks in the 3 km protection zone and in the 10 km surveillance zone

In both Regional Units, local livestock farmers have been informed of the measures taken as well as cheese makers, slaughterhouse owners and feed suppliers.

The government is taking and will continue to take every measure provided for by European regulations, in order to limit and eradicate the plague of small ruminants.

At the same time, the competent services of the FSA are in daily communication and cooperation with the experts of the European Commission as well as the veterinary services of the member states, for the evaluation of the laboratory data and results.

To date, 104 outbreaks of the disease have been identified, of which 81 are located in areas of Evros and the rest in Komotini, Xanthi, Kavala, Serres, Magnesia and Corinthia. So far in application of EU rules, 17,500 sheep have been killed.

It is noted that smallpox is zoonotic and not zoonotic, and there is no public health concern.

The Minister of Rural Development and Food Kostas Tsiaras, who due to the developments postponed his planned trip to Morocco for tomorrow, made the following statement after the meeting:

“Our country is facing yet another serious epidemiological threat, as an outbreak of sheep pox has been recorded. Smallpox is a highly contagious disease, which – I emphasize – does not threaten public health, as it is a disease that is not transmissible to humans. Unfortunately, however, it is highly contagious in animals.

Therefore, with the safety of our animals and farmers in mind, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food is taking immediate measures.
From today, we announce a complete ban on the movement of sheep and goats for breeding, fattening, grazing and slaughter, throughout the territory for ten days.

These measures are necessary in order to limit the spread of zoonosis and to ensure that this crisis is dealt with in the best possible way, as was done with plague of small ruminants.

We are in constant communication with the veterinarians and all the competent Departments of the Regions as well as with the regional governors themselves – with whom I had an earlier meeting – for the immediate implementation of the measures and the monitoring of the situation.

With the treatment of the plague as a guide, we call on livestock farmers to fully follow the instructions of the competent services, as they did consistently and responsibly in the recent past.

We are sure that with the cooperation of all of us, we will manage to overcome this crisis as well”.