Blue tongue outbreak in Crotone, Italy

The Provincial Health Company of Crotone, in partnership with the Department of Health Protection of the Calabria Region, has developed an action plan to combat the blue tongue epidemic affecting local sheep farms. The plan’s initial step involves the disinfestation of areas surrounding the 53 herds hit by the outbreak. A disinfestation zone extending at least 200 meters from the affected holdings has been established to curb the spread of Culicoides, the virus-carrying vector. The goal is to identify and eradicate larval sites and breeding grounds, thereby forming a barrier to hinder the vectors’ distribution and breeding. Concurrently, the region is working with healthcare professionals to formulate a vaccination strategy for the ovine animals.