site.btaNo Rinderpest Found in 551 Farms' Checks

Checks by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency at 551 livestock farms found that the animals were healthy, the Agency said. Increased checks are continuing next week because of rinderpest outbreaks in neighbouring countries. More than 11, 000 small ruminants kept in 220 localities were examined last week. The inspections are carried out by officials from the Agency’s regional directorates under an order of the Agency’s Executive Director.

The BFSA recalls that a 24-hour telephone line at 0 700 122 99 receives alerts for violation of the restrictions, complaints and reports of unauthorized imports, movements and sales of live animals. Alerts will be checked by the competent authorities as a matter of urgency and penalties will be imposed if violations are found.

Since the beginning of the week, disinfection has been introduced at all Bulgarian border crossings due to the risk of the introduction of the disease.

Because of the situation in Romania and Greece, national measures have been introduced in Bulgaria according to which the movement of live animals for rearing or slaughter cannot take place without examination and PCR tests.

The disease is transmitted from animal to animal and is not dangerous to human health, but it leads to large economic losses, because entire farm populations have to be destroyed.