Three outbreaks: two in Sardinia, in Orani and Orotelli , one in Lombardy, in the Mantua area .
Sardinian farmers are dealing with a new emergency, bovine dermatitis , which threatens the island's economy.
This morning, hearing of councilors Gianfranco Satta (Agriculture) and Armando Bartolazzi (Health) , before the councilors of the Health and Agriculture commissions in a joint session.
The data from the national epidemiological bulletin "are still very preliminary," Bartolazzi explained. "We didn't expect it and clearly we have to do our utmost, because this situation can also become critical ," said the member of the Todde Council, also leaving room for a bit of optimism. "There are also sporadic forms, we need to follow the epidemiology and see how the issue develops."
A disease that «had never arrived in Italy or even in Europe, the last outbreaks were seen in Turkey a few years ago» . Vaccines? They could be needed as soon as possible, «they are certainly available» but we need to understand which ones and wait for the timing of the acquisition, «the ministry is taking care of it» .
How bovine dermatitis arrived in Sardinia is still a mystery: "We are in the phase of the epidemiological study, to understand if animals entered the island", explained Bartolazzi. And we also need to understand which ones left: "To date, from the data at my disposal, several dozen animals have been exported to Lombardy" , probably those from which the outbreak developed in the Mantua area.
Satta highlighted the need for government and Ministry of Health intervention to ensure "prevention, surveillance and rapidity in interventions". The Agriculture Councillor recalled that it is a viral disease "that is not present in Europe and that is classified as one of the worst in category A" . This is the category of diseases that do not normally occur in EU countries and that, once identified, require immediate containment and eradication measures .
Satta with two numbers gives an idea of the drama that the virus could represent for Sardinian breeders: «We move about 80 thousand cattle: 35% goes to the slaughterhouse in Sardinia, all the rest goes outside the island. It is clear that we must plan concrete actions that support the sector» .
Currently, there is a ban on movement outside of Sardinia for at least ten days, a measure adopted by the ministry after the first outbreak was identified.
(Unioneonline/L)
