The outbreaks of bluetongue in Sardinia rise to 2732 , according to the latest report from the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Sardinia . Overall, the cases, especially among sheep, are 102,729 while the dead animals are 17,707 .
The highest number of outbreaks is found in Sassari with 637. Followed by Oristano with 557, then Cagliari with 449 and Nuoro with 435. There are 218 outbreaks in Medio Campidano, 195 in Sulcis, 150 in Gallura and 91 in Ogliastra.
In the meantime, the ASL of Oristano confirms the positivity to the bluetongue virus of sheep serotype 8 , a serotype also isolated in the provinces of Sassari, Gallura, Nuoro, Ogliastra and Medio Campidano, but never before appeared in this province, «where the positivity found this year referred only to serotype 3» specifies a note.
The Animal Health Service of the ASL 5, directed by Dr. Enrico Vacca, has therefore sent a new provision this morning in which the precautionary measures to be adopted throughout the territory are reiterated to reduce the risk of further spread of the virus.
Within the provincial borders, with the exception of farms where the outbreak has occurred or where there is suspicion, "the movement of sheep, goats and cattle is permitted without restrictions as long as the animals do not show symptoms of the disease on the day of transport and subject to validation by the ASL", a note states. More restrictive, however, are "the measures for the transport of animals to areas not affected by viral circulation, which must be agreed between the veterinary services of departure and destination at least 48 hours before movement". Furthermore, "the animals must not show clinical signs of the disease in the 24 hours preceding departure and must be vaccinated, or alternatively treated with insect repellents and test negative for bluetongue".
Always with a view to avoiding the spread of the viral circulation, the note concludes, «the means of transport must be treated with insecticides and the animals to be slaughtered must be slaughtered within 24 hours of arrival at the destination slaughterhouse».
