The Bluetongue virus has been detected in over 3,580 locations in Belgium, according to a new report by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, FASFC.
Initially, the virus had been concentrated in the provinces of Antwerp, Liège, and Luxembourg, but it has now spread across the entire country.
The outbreak would appear to have peaked, as the number of carcasses collected has dropped. However, official figures are likely underestimated: since 12 September, farmers are no longer required to report suspected cases to the FASFC through their veterinarians.
“The virus is present nationwide, so we wish to reduce costs and administrative burdens with this measure,” FASFC Spokesperson Hélène Bonte explained.
Bluetongue is a viral disease transmitted by small biting insects that primarily affects cattle and sheep. There are now 1,044 outbreaks on sheep farms and 2,477 on those rearing cattle. Farms specialising in goats and alpacas have had 43 and 20 outbreaks respectively.
Last week, Agriculture Minister David Clarinval stated that the virus had already killed about 23,000 sheep and 36,000 cattle.
According to the FASFC, the peak is behind us. “The worst is probably over,” said Hélène Bonte. “As temperatures drop, the insects spreading the virus become less active.”
Rendac, the company responsible for cleaning and processing carcasses, has also observed a decrease in the number of dead animals collected.
