Prosecutor orders probe into biosecurity measures amid worsening sheep pox outbreak

In effect to the ongoing outbreak of sheep and goat pox, a Greek authoritative has ordered an urgent preliminary probe into whether due information measures were followed, and whether there is simply a hazard that infected animals whitethorn participate the agri-food chain.

Lambros Tsiogkas, the caput of the Larissa Appeals Prosecutor’s Office, sent the petition to first-instance prosecutors successful each 4 Thessaly prefectures, arsenic cases proceed to emergence nationwide and the authorities see banning livestock movement.

‘The contented of a απαγορευτικό κυκλοφορίας for sheep and goats owed to smallpox is unfastened and connected the table,’ said Christos Kellas, the Deputy Agriculture Minister, connected Sunday. This enactment will beryllium examined during a gathering connected Monday.

‘There has been a diminution successful cases of sheep and goat pox, but not arsenic overmuch arsenic we expected,’ Kellas told state TV ERT successful an interview. ‘We person implemented each the indispensable measures, astir precocious the “10-day raid”, which besides created mandatory disinfection stations successful each regions.’

‘In airy of the developments,’ helium added, ‘we are getting person and person to the lockdown, which we person been trying to debar astatine each costs from the beginning.’

According to the president of the Hellenic Livestock Association, Dimitris Moschos, economical losses from the illness are estimated astatine implicit €350 cardinal successful the past 14 months. Farmers successful Thessaly and Thrace are successful a state of despair arsenic the illness is decimating their flocks.

‘The Greek livestock manufacture is successful a state of emergency,’ Moschos said connected Saturday. ‘Delays successful making captious decisions whitethorn pb to losses that will nary longer beryllium reversible.’