Explorations in the municipalities of Fundão, Covilhã, Penamacor and Belmonte reported several cases of bluetongue, the Cova da Beira Health Defense Association (Sanicobe) reported this Thursday.
The association’s coordinator, Hermínio Galhano, told the Lusa agency that, for now, the reported cases do not reach one hundred, but he highlighted that there is a team of six people on the ground and that not all the data has yet been collected.
“Each colleague is reporting their cases and I still do not have all the data, but I have many producers carrying out voluntary vaccination,” said Hermínio Galhano.
The veterinarian highlighted that many animals are being vaccinated, although it is a preventive measure and not a curative one.
According to the coordinator of Sanicobe, based in Fundão, in the Castelo Branco district, the disinfestation of animals and facilities are other measures that can be adopted to combat bluetongue or bluetongue.
Although several herds are affected, the Sanicobe technician highlighted that, as the problem is just beginning to manifest itself, it has not yet been addressed on a scale with the producers’ concerns.
“As it is just beginning to appear, people begin to express fear when they see symptoms in their flocks,” highlighted Hermínio Galhano. The Sanicobe coordinator warned about the financial impacts of the disease.
“The consequences of the disease can cause, in addition to losses in milk production, a reduction in the number of herds, when there is death, and also abortions and deaths of offspring,” he listed.
Bluetongue disease has already affected at least 279 cattle and sheep farms, mainly in Évora and Beja, and has caused the death of 1,775 animals, according to data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture to Lusa.
Bluetongue or bluetongue is a notifiable disease, but, according to the Government, notifications have only come with information related to livestock, after collecting samples.
The latest available data, reported this Monday, indicate that 41 livestock farms were affected, with 102 animals affected and no mortality.
By districts, Évora stands out, with 90 affected farms, and Beja, with 76, followed by Setúbal (48) and Portalegre (20).
Then there are Castelo Branco (eight), Santarém (eight), Aveiro (five), Vila Real (five), Lisboa (four), Bragança (three), Guarda (three), Viana do Castelo (three), Leiria (two). , Porto (two), Coimbra (one) and Faro (one).
Braga and Viseu are the only districts where there are no known farms affected by bluetongue.
Bluetongue is an infectious viral disease, not transmissible to humans.
Three bluetongue serotypes circulate in Portugal: BTV-4, which appeared for the first time in 2004 and was detected again in 2013 and 2023, BTV-1, identified in 2007, with outbreaks until 2021, and BTV-3 .
Source: Observadora
