Tension in Velingrad due to a suspected outbreak of sheep and goat plague

Due to the outbreak of Peste des Petits Ruminants (sheep and goat plague) in Velingrad and the subsequent protests by farmers, 300 new samples will be taken today. Currently, 1,700 sheep are at risk of being forcibly euthanized. The decision for a second sample was made after the intervention of caretaker Minister of Agriculture Georgi Tahov. The farmers refused to acknowledge the validity of the samples taken by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and did not allow agency representatives to access their herds, reported public service broadcaster BNT. 

Citizens and other livestock breeders from the area joined them, forming a human chain around the herds and declaring that they would not allow the sheep from the three herds to be destroyed. For now, the animals remain under quarantine until new tests are done and the results come out. The livestock breeders are hoping for an adequate solution to the problem. Health experts note that the disease is not dangerous to humans, but the mortality rate among animals can reach up to 100%.