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"A control zone will not be put in place after
just one animal is found to have BT8:
we have to wait to see if other animals are infected." Defra.
James Irvine
Teviot Scientific, Cultybraggan Farm, Comrie,
Perthshire
Filed 24 Sep 09
©www.land-care.org.uk
Following the confirmation of the first case of
Bluetongue (BT) in the UK, the Department for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it would not be classed as an outbreak
unless other cases were confirmed. Because it is not classified
as an outbreak, a 20km (12mile) control zone will not be put in
place.
So we wait for the results of tests, and we may
get them sometime on Monday 24th. That is two days after the first
case was identified. And identified as the same type (BT8) that
was expected to arrive from northern Europe where it is rampant
and caused so much damage. And our cattle have no immunity to BT8.
Whatever the rule book might say about the definition
of an outbreak, common sense should surely see the danger in such
a delay. The delay arises, of course, because Defra are clearly
not using the most up to date on-site technology that would produce
the answers in 1 - 2 hours (1,
2).
The risk is so acute that to insist on such pedantry
is just plain stupid.
Even if an ideal vaccine was available for BT8
on our doorstep (achieved by prudent forward planning in the face
of a high probability of such an event happening) it would seem
that Defra would delay doing anything until other cases had been
established. So valuable time is wasted before the most effective
weapon can even get started. Vaccination, even in the best of circumstances,
cannot be put into effect immediately. The longer the delay the
bigger the problem of controlling disease spread is likely to be.
But even following their own mantra of "vigilant
surveillance and biosecurity" the handling of the UK's first
case of Bluetongue is descending into farce.
"No control zone until we know that the
disease is well established"
seems to be the crazy message from Defra.
©www.land-care.org.uk
1. irvine, James (2007). The first
case ever of Bluetongue in the UK
See ANIMAL HEALTH - GENERAL Homepage, filed 23 Sept 07,
www.land-care.org.uk Click
Here to View
2. Irvine, James (2007). How BT8
may have got into the UK. The stupidity of it beggars belief
See ANIMAL HEALTH - GENERAL Homepage, filed 23 Sept 07,
www.land-care.org.uk Click
Here to View
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