Bluetongue has affected 46 sheep and goats across three farms in the Nicosia and Limassol districts, with 10 animals dying from the disease, Veterinary Services director Christodoulos Pipis said on Thursday.
Pipis told CNA that there is a risk of further spread because the virus is transmitted through small biting midges, whose movement cannot be controlled.
He stressed, however, that bluetongue does not infect humans and poses no risk to human health.
Different from foot-and-mouth disease
Pipis said bluetongue is managed differently from foot-and-mouth disease and stressed that the two diseases do not carry the same significance.
Foot-and-mouth disease is classified as a Category A disease, while bluetongue is not.
The primary protective measure against bluetongue is vaccination against the specific serotypes involved, should livestock farmers choose to vaccinate their animals.
Other measures include applying insect repellents to animals and reducing insects' access to livestock as much as possible.
Dense netting can be installed over windows and entrances to areas where animals are housed to help reduce exposure.
Animal products pose no risk
Pipis clarified that there is no risk associated with products from infected animals.
Production levels may, however, decline because of the animals' condition following infection and the effects caused by the virus.
Asked about fatalities, Pipis explained that bluetongue can result in an animal's death depending on its overall health, nutritional condition and immune system.
“Whether an animal dies or not depends on multiple factors. It is not a given that all animals will die as a result of the disease,” he said.
Source: CNA
