There have been no reported cases of the ‘goat plague’ affecting sheep and goats in Cyprus, despite recent outbreaks in Greece and Romania, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou reassured on Thursday.
Panayiotou emphasised that there is no threat to public health, as the disease, which affects small ruminants, cannot be transmitted to humans.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), she said that the Veterinary Services have already been instructed to intensify measures to prevent the disease from reaching Cyprus. Additionally, the Veterinary Services have prepared informational material for farmers, outlining steps to keep their animals healthy. The farmers, Panayiotou said, are meticulously following the advice given in line with EU measures.
The virus, which is highly contagious and fatal to ruminants, was first identified in 1942 in the Ivory Coast. It has since spread to various countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia and is endemic to Turkey.
The virus spreads through close contact between healthy and infected animals, as well as through contaminated food, water and equipment. It can survive in the environment for up to 72 hours, depending on moisture levels, temperature and exposure to natural light.
The most common means of transmission is the movement of infected animals.
The virus has an incubation period of four to six days, which can extend up to ten days in some cases. Clinical symptoms include high fever lasting up to five days, fatigue, loss of appetite, increased eye and nasal discharge and mouth ulcers. These are followed by watery, bloody diarrhoea, pneumonia, coughing and breathlessness. If an animal survives, the symptoms can persist for up to two weeks.
