Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Naydenov has undertaken measures to contain the spread of FMD. Photo by BGNES
The European Commission has given a green light to the measures of the Bulgarian government to contain the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
The approval comes two days after Bulgaria registered its first FMD case in the Southeast Bulgarian district of Burgas.
The news came after a wild boar with FMD was killed there. A 10 km security zone has been established and all vehicles passing through the region are being disinfected. All trade with livestock in the Burgas region was stopped immediately.
On Friday, Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov visited the Burgas District to inspect the local measures.
Meanwhile, the government imposed restrictions on livestock movement in the districts of Burgas, Shumen, Varna, Sliven, and Yambol, as well as the import and export of livestock.
The mobile units will sent all samples they collected from animals in the region to laboratories in Sofia over night.
FMD is highly contagious and, while it is not so dangerous for humans, a possible outbreak may cause severe economic damages, the Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov has explained.