site.btaMovement and Grazing Ban Imposed on Small Ruminants in Plovdiv Region amid Disease Outbreak

The grazing, transport, and trade of small ruminants have been banned for three weeks due to a deteriorating epizootic situation in Bulgaria’s southern Plovdiv Region, the Regional Administration’s press office reported on Wednesday. The decision was announced by Dr Chavdar Chavdarov, Director of the Plovdiv Regional Food Safety Directorate (RFSD), during a meeting of the Regional Epizootic Commission earlier in the day.

Following the detection of outbreaks of sheep and goat pox (SGP) in the region, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) published information on its website on Tuesday about the introduction of additional temporary restrictive measures.

Under an order from the Executive Director of the BFSA, a 21-day ban has been introduced on the movement, trade, transport, and grazing of small ruminants throughout Plovdiv Region. Exceptions are permitted only for animals intended for immediate slaughter or in transit, subject to authorization from the relevant RFSD and after clinical inspection by an official veterinary officer. Male breeding animals may only be moved following laboratory testing by an official vet and approval from the RFSD.

According to Dr Chavdarov, 28 outbreaks have been confirmed so far in the region. Of these, 11 have been eradicated, and 7 are currently under containment. The situation is most severe in the municipalities of Maritsa and Parvomay. Conditions are also complicated in Rakovski, Rodopi, Sadovo, Asenovgrad, and the city of Plovdiv itself, the Regional Administration added.

The Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior said that, in accordance with the BFSA's order, it is closely monitoring for any unauthorized movement of livestock.

The disease poses no threat to human health, confirmed Dr Milena Panayotova, Director of the Infectious Disease Surveillance Directorate at the Plovdiv Regional Health Inspectorate.