Greek media spreads fake news that smallpox originated in Türkiye
Asparagasic reports in some local media that the smallpox in sheep and goats in the Evros region may originate from Türkiye unnecessarily worry the people living in the region.
It is unlikely that the sheep-goat smallpox disease seen in Evros province originates from the Turkish side of the border. The news reports are completely aimed at misleading the target and unnecessarily frightening the citizens living in the border region.
Sources consulted on the subject stated that the Turkish side notified the World Organisation for Animal Health that Thrace is free from sheep-goat pox in 2022 and that this declaration was published on 1 July 2022.
The sources pointed out that after this declaration, small ruminants in the region were vaccinated with the sheep-goat pox vaccine and the movement of species including sheep and goats and animal products within the protection and surveillance zone against this disease was restricted and controlled, therefore, it is unlikely that the sheep-goat pox disease seen on the Greek side originated from Turkey within the scope of the measures taken and intensive vaccination.
