According to the latest update from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), the bluetongue virus has officially reached Texel. So far there is one company where infections have been reported, in Den Burg.
Earlier this week, NH reported that sheep farmers on the island watched with dismay as the virus continued to spread, and was also spotted further and further in the north of the province. The current outbreak started in Het Gooi.
About 15,000 sheep live on Texel, as many as the human inhabitants of the island. Earlier this week, NH spoke to a number of sheep farmers, who told that all they could do was wait for the virus to reach their farms. “We live in fear and trembling,” said sheep farmer Koos Tjepkema. Together with his wife he has about 500 sheep.
Rapid spread
The number of companies where a bluetongue infection has been detected has increased rapidly in recent days. On October 3, the NVWA published an overview showing that contamination was detected at just over 600 companies. A day later, on October 4, the organization published data showing that there were now more than 1,000.
The vast majority of these companies can be found in Central Netherlands. The outbreak started in early September in ‘t Gooi. It can now be seen that the virus is spreading: almost everywhere in the province there is now a company with infections.
Facts
The bluetongue virus is spread by midges, a type of mosquito. Infected insects sting sheep and other ruminants, thus transmitting it. Animals cannot transmit the virus to each other, and it is not dangerous to humans.
There is a reporting obligation for the bluetongue virus. Veterinarians can send the blood of sick animals to the laboratory at the University of Wageningen, where extensive research into the disease is conducted. However, this is not necessary: a veterinarian can also decide based on his own experiences that an animal has bluetongue and report this to the NVWA.
The last major outbreak of the virus was in 2006, and caused problems for years. The Netherlands was not officially bluetongue-free until 2009.
The current clinical picture is caused by the so-called ‘serotype 3’, a kind of subtype of the virus. Because this is a serotype that has not previously circulated in the Netherlands, there is currently no vaccine available.
The fact that bluetongue has been found again in the Netherlands has major effects on the export of live animals and live by-products (such as embryos or sperm). Within the EU, exports may only take place if an animal has been quarantined and examined. Outside the EU, all kinds of additional measures may apply, which differ per country.
The LTO warned at the end of September that the virus and the associated restrictions on exports could have major consequences for farmers, and indicated that it was in discussions with the ministry to see how farmers can be helped.
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