Sheep and goat pox outbreaks confirmed in Constanța, Romania

The National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) has confirmed two active outbreaks of sheep and goat pox in the Constanța county of Romania. Laboratory analyses conducted by IDSA Bucharest identified the virus in two separate holdings, which manage flocks of 441 and 722 sheep, respectively.

During inspections, veterinary officials discovered several serious regulatory violations. These include the concealment of animal mortality rates on farms, the possession of unidentified animals, and a lack of mandatory ear tags. Investigators also found the illegal use of ear tags from other counties or tags that were officially recorded as having been previously exported to third countries. These tags were reportedly reused to mask a lack of animal traceability.

ANSVSA warned that such illegal actions jeopardize the Romanian livestock sector, particularly given the current epidemiological context. The authority emphasized that state compensation is strictly conditional on compliance with sanitary-veterinary legislation. Owners found violating identification and traceability laws face fines, seizure of animals, euthanasia without compensation, and potential criminal charges for spreading animal diseases.