Threat from animal virus ‘remains low’

European Food Safety Authority tries to reassure farmers about impact of Schmallenberg Virus.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) today attempted to reassure farmers about the impact of the Schmallenberg Virus.

At a meeting organised by the European Commission, the EFSA unveiled the findings of a new report that says that even under worst-case scenario assumptions, the number of animals infected with the virus will remain low.

The report comes as scientists in the UK are investigating whether the disease is now being spread animal to animal, rather than through midges. The virus, which affects cattle, sheep and goats, causes birth defects in offspring. It has been found in eight EU member states, prompting Russia to ban all live-animal imports from the EU last month.

The EFSA said that there are still data gaps that prevent it from obtaining a complete picture of the current situation. Although all member states have submitted detailed information about confirmed cases, only two also reported on suspected cases. The authority will produce a full report on the virus’s effects on animal health, production and welfare by 31 May.

“There is currently no evidence that the Schmallenberg Virus could cause illness in humans,” the EFSA concluded.

The German agriculture ministry last week made the Schmallenberg Virus a notifiable disease, meaning that farmers and authorities must report diagnosed cases. Germany, where the disease was first discovered in the town of Schmallenberg, has the highest number of confirmed cases at 1,120 – a third of the European total.