The bluetongue virus is rapidly spreading through the Netherlands. In early September, the virus was detected on four sheep farms in North Holland and Utrecht, but now figures from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) show that at least 319 farms are infected. This chart with table shows the number of blue tongue infections by place of residence. Most are in the centre of the country, but increasingly the virus is turning up in other regions. Cows are also getting infected.
This is the first time since 2009 that the disease, which poses no danger to humans, has returned to the Netherlands.
Agriculture and Horticulture Organisation Netherlands (LTO) is being told through its members that "the disease is taking on serious forms". "Unfortunately, we are receiving many reports of high mortality among affected sheep," says Jeannette van de Ven, LTO's portfolio holder for Healthy Animals. More than 400 reports are involved. "In addition, more and more reports about cattle with severe signs of disease are also coming in. Our members are worried and that is understandable when we look at the course of the disease."
How many sheep and cows have succumbed to the virus so far is not clear. According to Siert-Jan Boersema, sheep farmer and vet in De Rijp, the virus seems to be spreading much faster this time than in the previous outbreak 17 years ago.
"It is almost impossible to keep up. When treated at an early stage, you can still pull animals through it, but at a later stage you are less successful." Boersema himself has 50 sheep. Last week, six died, one survived the infection.
Vets in Utrecht are working their butts off this week. "It is so busy that we can hardly cope," ruminant veterinarian David Speksnijder told earlier week RTV Utrecht. He and his colleagues saw dozens of dead animals. "This is a silent disaster," he said.
The virus is spread through midges, and not through direct contact between infected animals. Gnats mainly occur between April and late autumn, but the less cold winters now threaten to be more favourable for the midges than during the previous outbreak in 2006. The virus is expected to have spread throughout the country before winter, Agriculture Minister Adema said. And if not, it will spread again after winter.
A small sheep farmer in Kortenhoef in North Holland lost five of his eight sheep, he says in the NOS Radio 1 News. A cow is also in bad shape. Bluetongue has struck hard in the area, says his wife. "With us it's five out of eight, but there are also sheep farmers with a hundred and forty sheep. Really profoundly sad it is."
The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality says it is busy searching for a vaccine. According to sheep specialist Mark van der Heijden of the University Agricultural Veterinary Practice, there is no prospect of that for the time being. "We are dealing with type 3 here. The bluetongue infection in 2006, 2007 and 2008 was type 8. There was a vaccine for that then. Only it is not the case that the vaccine for type 8 also gives protection against type 3."
And even if vaccination were to be carried out now, Van der Heijden says it is questionable what use it would be in the areas where the virus is already circulating fast. "Before the animals are protected by a vaccine, you are at least six weeks away," he says.
The ministry is investigating whether and how soon a safe and effective vaccine for this type of virus is available outside Europe. Possibly it could come from South Africa, but that vaccine has not yet been approved for Europe. The ministry says it is in talks with all interested parties. "In addition, we are in talks with pharmacists in the Netherlands for a longer-term solution."
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2492159-blauwtongvirus-rukt-op-in-nederland-besmettingen-op-honderden-plekken
