- Enhanced occurrences of blue blood cells reported in Thuringia
Blue-tongue sickness is still spreading in Thuringia. The initial instances of this ailment have been identified in two sheep farms situated in the Gotha region, which borders the Wartburg district, as per the Gotha district authorities' announcement.
Prior to this, the sickness had been detected in Thuringia in 7 sheep and 4 cows since mid-August. Affected were the Eichsfeld district with 6 cases, the Wartburg district (4) and the Nordhausen district (1).
The blue-tongue sickness, specifically serotype 3, has been spreading from northwest Europe, including the Netherlands and Belgium, towards Thuringia since October 2023. It poses no threat to humans but can induce fever and loss of appetite in livestock like sheep and cows.
By August 23rd, over 4,800 infected farms have been reported nationwide, with 2,465 in North Rhine-Westphalia, according to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut.
Despite the prevalence of blue-tongue sickness in multiple districts of Thuringia, only a few instances had been recorded as 'Other' regions remained unaffected. Following the detection of the sickness in sheep farms in Gotha, the authorities are closely monitoring other 'Other' areas to prevent any potential spread.
