""This is unwelcome news but unfortunately it is not surprising, given the spread of this virus across Europe, Great Britain and recently Northern Ireland," Minister Heydon said."
""I want to emphasise that bluetongue cannot infect people and does not pose any food safety or human health issue," he said, while expressing sympathy for the affected farmer."
""The replication of the virus in infected midges cannot happen when the daily temperatures are lower than 12 degrees Celsius," Minister Heydon said. "The recent seasonal drop in temperatures means that infection is unlikely to spread widely at the current time.""
Routine surveillance identified a bovine infected with bluetongue virus serotype 3 in a herd in the Republic. The detection is the first confirmed case in the Republic and ends the expectation that island status would keep the country free of the virus. Bluetongue is an insect-borne viral disease affecting cattle, sheep and other ruminants and does not infect humans or pose food safety risks. The virus is spread primarily by midges; viral replication in midges does not occur when daily temperatures are below 12°C, so seasonal cooling is expected to limit transmission. Department officials are conducting further sampling and investigations. The outbreak will affect live exports of cattle and sheep, requiring additional costs and logistical steps, while meat and dairy exports to the EU, UK and most international markets are not expected to be affected.
Read at Irish Independent
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