Peste des petits ruminants outbreaks hit Greece and Romania
Both Greece and Romania have seen thousands of cases since July.
Greece and Romania are currently experiencing outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), the first time the disease has been detected in the EU since 2018.
Greece reported its first case on 8 July and Romania on 15 July. As of 9 August, Greece has seen 47 outbreaks, totalling more than 2,000 cases, and Romania has reported 56 outbreaks, totalling over 5,000 cases.
Control measures have been implemented in both countries, including movement restrictions, increased surveillance, and preventative culling. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has established a PPR vaccine back to support vaccination efforts to control and eradicate the disease in the affected countries.
A viral infection, PPR affects sheep, goats, and some wild ungulates. It has mortality rates of up to 80 per cent. Transport of live infected animals is considered to be the main risk factor for its spread.
The disease is currently the focus of global eradication efforts. WOAH and The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations have set a target of 2030 for eradication.
There were outbreaks earlier this year in the Caucasus region, with both Turkey and Georgia affected. In recent years the virus has also been detected in various countries in the Middle East, including Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
An outbreak assessment, published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 August, stated that the risk of the EU outbreak to Great Britain is considered very low.
The UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance has introduced a temporary suspension of imports of live sheep and goats, germplasm, raw milk and raw milk products, and untreated hides, skins, wool and hair from sheep and goats from Greece and Romania.
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With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
