Smallpox spreads and threatens Thrace

Fears of its spread by birds or wild animals

The onslaught of smallpox in Evros continues. Three new farms were infected in South Evros following an inspection by IACS crews and the animals were killed on 24-25-26 August. At the same time according to our information from the Livestock Directorate of the Region and a new suspected case was detected in a farm in Orestiada.

 1.800 animals victims of smallpox in Evros

We recall that on 20 - 21 /8 the first cases were detected in 3 farms in South Evros and one in North Evros, followed by the others mentioned above. So far 1,800 animals have been killed, of which 70 are from North Evros and the rest from South Evros. The concern of the veterinary authorities and farmers is intensifying as the list grows longer after new suspected cases were identified in a farm in Orestiada.

 Teams from the Xanthi ADOC are carrying out checks in Evros

As reported by the Director of the Veterinary Department of EMT Nikos Fotinias, teams from Xanthi, Komotini and Drama are assisting with checks in the zone beyond 3 km of infected farms. It is a measure to prevent the zoonosis from being transferred to the farms of Xanthi, Rhodope and Drama. Mr. Fotinias said the teams have not detected any new cases except in Orestiada however he expressed concern because he said smallpox is much more contagious than plague which is only transmitted by contact.

Travellers are advised not to carry food, especially meat, from Turkey

Fotinias stressed the need to take more measures at the border, acknowledging that disinfecting vehicles with ditches is not entirely effective because they are usually bypassed by passenger vehicles. He said that according to EU directives, the transport of meat from Türkiye is prohibited and customs officers are doing checks but it is not certain that some quantities do not get through.

Fears of spread by birds or wild animals

And while stricter controls can be imposed on travellers, no controls can be imposed on wild birds and animals or even stray dogs. It is through them that the so-called "mechanical transfer of the smallpox virus" takes place, as feared by the veterinary authorities who have experience of the transmission of the 2013 epidemic: "At that time we had noticed that there were units that were near ponds where there are wild birds and they were infected. As well as units that were next to the Egnatia bypass through which vehicles passed on the highway. We cannot know if the wild birds and the animals that were moving are carriers of the virus. We cannot take measures to protect against them. In 2013 smallpox appeared in Rhodope and from there it spread to Xanthi and Thessaloniki."

Thrace clear of plague

As for the plague, the zoonosis has not appeared in our region and is under control in the areas where it was detected.