The bluetongue virus has been detected in 3,586 places in Belgium, reports the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca) on Thursday in a new report. According to the organization, however, the peak has passed because it is seeing a drop in the number of bodies recovered.
The bluetongue virus spread throughout Belgium, while the epidemic was initially concentrated mainly in the provinces of Antwerp, Liège and Luxembourg.
The official figures are nevertheless underestimates because, since September 12, breeders no longer have the obligation to report a suspected case to Afsca through their veterinarian. “The virus is present throughout the country, so we want to limit costs and administrative burdens with this measure”explains Hélène Bonte, spokesperson for Afsca.
Bluetongue is a viral disease transmitted by small biting insects. It particularly affects cattle and sheep, especially sheep. There are now 1,044 outbreaks in sheep, 2,477 in cattle, 43 in goats and 20 in alpacas. Last week, the Minister of Agriculture David Clarinval (MR) declared that the fever had already killed around 23,000 sheep and 36,000 cattle. However, according to Afsca, the peak has been reached. “The worst is probably behind us”believes Hélène Bonte. “The temperature is dropping, so the insects that spread the virus are less active.”
The Rendac company, which cleans and processes carcasses, has also noted a decrease in the number of corpses collected.
Blue tongue disease
