Menorca Sheep Flock Fully Vaccinated Against Blue Tongue Serotype 8
Menorca, [Date – implied Monday from original text] - All sheep on the island of Menorca are now fully vaccinated against serotype 8 of the Blue Tongue virus, thanks to a successful eradication program led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries adn Natural Habitat of the Balearic Government. This achievement comes as the Ministry announced the launch of a second mandatory vaccination campaign targeting serotype 8 across all the Balearic Islands on Monday.
The overall situation regarding serotype 8 is positive, with immunity levels within the sheep population exceeding the 80% threshold considered protective.
“Maintaining the eradication program and implementing strict requirements for animal entry into our territory allows us to approach the second year of the epidemic with high immunity,” stated Minister joan Simonet.
However, the positive news regarding serotype 8 is tempered by the recent identification of a new Blue Tongue variant, serotype 3, in Mallorca.minister Simonet and Fernando Fernández, the General Director of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, expressed concern over the reappearance of the disease with this new serotype. A vaccine for serotype 3 is currently available.
Currently, a single confirmed case of serotype 3 has been identified in a Bunyol sheep farm in Mallorca, affecting a flock of 156 animals. Authorities are also monitoring two suspected cases within the same health area, with samples sent to the National Laboratory of reference in Algete for confirmation. The initial detection of the virus came through routine sampling conducted by the Ministry.