Greece partially lifts ban for transporting animals after goat plague

Athens: Greece said on Friday that it would partially lift a ban on transporting sheep and goats that it imposed last month after goat plague was detected in the country.

Goat plague, also known as Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), was detected in July for the first time in Greece. The virus does not infect humans, but is highly contagious among goats and sheep and can kill up to 70% of those infected.

“The movement of animals for slaughter will be allowed from Monday in the regional units that have not been affected by the plague of small ruminants,” the country’s agriculture ministry said in a statement.

More than twenty farms have been infected, mostly in the centre of the country, and thousands of animals have been culled in previous weeks.

Once a case is detected, the entire flock is culled, in line with protocols set by the European Union.