Bluetongue virus has killed more than 37,000 sheep in Portugal and affected over 1,800 farms, with 118,607 animals infected since October, according to data from the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV) sent to Lusa today. These figures only reflect notifications received by the DGAV, so numbers could be even higher. The government has funded 385,050 doses of vaccine against serotype three of the bluetongue virus, totalling more than €982,318, mainly for the districts of Portalegre, Évora, Beja and Castelo Branco, says the news agency. Take up has been “significant”, according to a note from the Ministry of Agriculture. Mainland Portugal has been affected by serotypes three and four of the bluetongue virus, while the Azores and Madeira are free of the disease.
More than 1,800 farms affected by bluetongue virus
Sheep (and lambs) began dying at such a rate that official collection services weren't able to keep up with demand for their services. Image: Facebook
