The heat is not easing and the blue tongue infections in the Sardinian countryside are not slowing down. Indeed: due to the continuation of the mild climate, the number of active outbreaks has almost doubled in 15 days, going from 75 to 130. Two have been extinguished and another 87 suspected for a total of 219. The data were published by the Zooprophylactic Institute of Sardinia (Izs) on its institutional website. The most affected provinces are those of Medio Campidano, Nuoro and Oristano. In the latter territory, according to data from ASL 5, there are 292 dead animals and 876 sheep infected by the virus, while there are 59 farms where outbreaks have developed so far. The Izs maps also show numerous unknown strains, especially in the western sectors of the island.
«We have been managing the epidemic since the 2000s but the novelty this year is the circulation of the new strain, the 8th, which arrived from Corsica», explains the general director of Izs Sardinia, Giovanni Filippini, «we have an increase in suspected cases but we do not have the feeling that there is an important clinical manifestation. And, above all, we are very confident about the lowering of temperatures, which should drop in the next few days."
Complaints from trade associations had arrived on this point, complaining about the lack of interventions and arguing that we could not rely solely on the weather.
«Next week we will have a new meeting with the trade organizations to take stock of the interventions. Now we are vaccinating for serotype 4 but the vaccine for 8 already exists", adds Filippini.
And precisely this strain of the blue tongue has manifested itself above all in the Middle Campidano, less in Gallura and in the Oristano area.
«The situation is under control and the numbers relating to the spread of the virus are contained», observes Enrico Vacca, director of the Animal Health service of ASL 5, «all the confirmed outbreaks concern serotype 8, which was detected for the first time in Sardinia, but also in Italy, right on a farm in San Vero Milis."
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)