site.btaBulgaria Taking Measures to Prevent Entry of Goat Plague in Country

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) are taking measures to prevent the entry into Bulgaria of the so-called goat plague, or Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), following the outbreaks of the severely viral disease in Romania and Greece. This transpired at an online meeting on Tuesday initiated by the Ministry and the BFSA with representatives of the Bulgarian livestock breeders' associations, the Ministry said in a press release.

Attending the meeting were Deputy Minister Deyan Stratev, BFSA Executive Director Svetlozar Patarinski,  Dr Miroslav Parvanov of the Bulgarian Veterinary Union, and the Executive Director of the Risk Assessment Centre on Food Chain, Assoc. Prof.  Koycko Koev.

The livestock breeders were acquainted with the restrictions imposed by the BFSA to prevent the spread of the PPR into Bulgaria. The disease is not dangerous to people but is extremely viral for sheep and goats, the mortality ranging from 20 to 90%.  PPR spreads through direct contact between sick and healthy animals as well as through infected feed, equipment, and transportation means. 

Stratev called on breeders and vets to act responsibly and, if suspecting an animal is sick, to immediately alert the corresponding regional food safety directorates. According to BFSA data, there currently are over 30 registered hotspots and more than 200,000 affected animals in Romania, and 19 registered hotspots and 10,700 affected animals in Greece.

The sides agreed on the introduction of a temporary ban on farm animal fairs and markets in the country.