Egypt has become the latest nation to ban animal products from countries affected with Schmallenberg virus, following Mexico and Russia’s announcements that they would not accept a variety of products from sheep and goats.image expired

Egypt this week announced a ban on dairy products from the Northern European countries affected by SBV. The livestock virus was discovered last summer in Germany, and is believed to be spread via biting insects.

The Egyptian ban follows a similar interdiction by Russia, which placed a ban on imports of sheep and goat meat, sperm, embryos and live animals from countries where Schmallenberg outbreaks have been reported. Russia banned imports from the Netherlands on 18th January, and from the UK, Germany and Belgium on 1st February.

Russia has also threatened to ban cattle imports unless it is satisfied the disease is being contained. SBV seems to principally affect sheep. China has also asked the Netherlands for more information on the disease and the country’s prevention efforts, though it has not introduced a ban.

In its last update, the AHVLA said that there have been 29 confirmed cases of Scmallenberg virus on UK farms, including the first case in cattle in the UK; all of the cases are in the South East. Throughout Europe there have been confirmed cases on over 600 premises.

Although agencies throughout the affected nations are working together and sharing information to discover more about Schmallenberg, NFU animal welfare adviser Catherine McLaughlin said, "This is a new virus and there is still much that we don't know about it."

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