MINSK, 4 April (BelTA) – Belarus has limited import of cattle from the Belgian province Luxembourg because of the bluetongue disease, BelTA learned from the website of the Veterinary and Food Oversight Department of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry.
According to the World Organization for Animal Health, cases of bluetongue among animal species, susceptible to the disease, have been registered in the Luxembourg province. In view of this, Belarus has introduced temporary restrictions on import of breeding stock, commercial and slaughter cattle, wild, zoo, and circus animals of the susceptible species, camels and other camelids (llamas, alpacas, vicunas), and embryos of the these animals from this region.
The country has also revoked all permissions to import the listed animals from the Luxembourg province that have been granted before.
Bluetongue is a vector-borne virus disease of the ruminant animals which affects oral, nasal cavities and limbs, causes tongue swelling and fever. The disease leads to huge losses in animal husbandry industry. It hits a large number of animals and is highly lethal.
