a Total of 3853 businesses are affected according to the extension of the bluetongue-restricted zone in the state of Hesse of the regulatory restrictions. “Holder of ruminants such as cattle, sheep and goats, the livestock in the restricted area, they must notify the competent veterinary authority,” said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of environment on Thursday in Wiesbaden. In addition, restrictions on the trade of around 13,000 cattle, sheep and goats, in particular when these animals should be placed in regions where the disease had previously not occurred. Animals in which the disease has broken out, and the signs of the disease have to be killed and not allowed to return to the market.

The disease had been found in December in an operation in Baden-Württemberg. Since the beginning of the year were reported from the neighbouring state 13 further outbreaks. With the detection of bluetongue in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland, the restricted area in the districts of Limburg-Weilburg, hochtaunuskreis, Rheingau-Taunus, Main-Taunus and Offenbach, as well as the cities of Frankfurt, Offenbach and Wiesbaden dilated. The four South counties Bergstraße, Odenwald Kreis, Darmstadt-Dieburg gross-Gerau and the city of Darmstadt were already in the restricted zone established.

For humans

It is a virus-induced, mostly acute course of the disease, which affects mainly sheep, goats and cattle. It is transmitted by mosquitoes, for humans, the animal disease is not dangerous. Meat and dairy products can be consumed without any concerns.

Germany was disease-since 2011, officially free of the animal. The disease appeared however, in recent years in the neighboring countries of France, Switzerland and Italy.