Deadly viral outbreak affecting goats, sheep spreads near Greek capital

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – A deadly viral outbreak affecting goats and sheep that was first detected in central Greece has spread near the capital Athens, local media reported Tuesday.

After the owners of a livestock unit in Aspropyrgos, an industrial area west of Athens, reported suspicious symptoms in their animals, regional veterinarians conducted blood tests and confirmed the first case in the region, said the To Vima daily.

As a result, relevant protocols of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food were swiftly implemented, which included the mass culling and sanitary burial of the unit’s lambs, it added.

According to the daily, three weeks after the outbreak, also known as “goat plague,” was first detected in central Greece, over 10,000 animals have been culled.

It was also decided that the region’s veterinary services will thoroughly examine the area to detect and promptly address potential cases.

On July 29, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food prohibited the transport of sheep and goats across the country for breeding, fattening and slaughtering in an effort to contain the highly contagious infection, which was first detected in many large flocks of sheep and goats in the central region of Thessaly.

Authorities maintain that the infection entered the country through sheep and goats imported from Romania.