France Aims To Contain Livestock Viruses With Vaccine Push

France has extended vaccination campaigns to contain a new variant of the bluetongue virus and the epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), both livestock diseases spreading within the country, the farm ministry said, Sybille de La Hamaide reported for Reuters.

The BTV3 bluetongue virus, which spreads through insects and can be deadly for sheep, cattle, and goats, has been circulating in the Netherlands, northern Belgium, and western Germany since late last year.

The BTV3 bluetongue virus, which spreads through insects and can be deadly for sheep, cattle, and goats, has been circulating in the Netherlands, northern Belgium, and western Germany since late last year.

It entered France earlier this month, and Britain reported its first outbreak on Monday.

By Thursday, 342 outbreaks of BTV3 bluetongue had been reported in France, affecting both cattle and sheep herds, the ministry said on its website.

The EHD virus, which mainly affects cattle and deer, entered the country from the south, with 344 outbreaks detected between June 1 and Aug. 29.

While bluetongue and EHD are not harmful to humans and do not impact the safety of food produced from infected animals, the diseases can have significant economic repercussions, including the closure of foreign markets.