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3 clusters · 24 sources · 2 days · First seen · Last updated

Categories: HEALTH

Balkans livestock disease outbreaks

Entities: Dragan Glamočić · Serbian Veterinary Service · Serbia · Caprine pox virus · Nosoljine

Overview

The regional animal‑health emergency continues to expand. In Macedonia, foot‑and‑mouth disease has forced the culling of about 2,700 sheep and the rabbit disease “lija” has killed over 1,500 rabbits, prompting farmers to demand better vaccination, compensation and movement controls.

Serbia confirmed a repeat outbreak of sheep and goat pox at the Nosoljine farm in Raška, with 127 infected animals euthanised. Authorities again linked the virus to smuggling routes through Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia, and maintained a national crisis staff, strict bio‑security measures and compensation for feed‑ and fodder‑losses.

The African swine fever (ASF) crisis in Serbia has persisted, with more than 29,000 domestic pigs culled this year across several hotspots and ongoing culling of wild boar. The government continues intensive surveillance, hunter deployments and compensation for affected farmers.

In Croatia, the agriculture ministry blamed non‑compliance with bio‑security for ASF spread and announced tighter farm inspections, increased wild‑boar culling and decontamination procedures for visitors to Papuk Nature Park. A recent poaching incident near Vladimirci, where a trophy deer was illegally killed inside an ASF‑restricted zone, underscored the risk of unauthorized access to infected areas.

Both countries stress rapid detection, mass culling and stricter movement restrictions as core controls. Discussions on a regional vaccination programme continue, while rabbit and goat markets in the affected Macedonian regions remain closed and breeding on infected farms is suspended for six months. The mix of foot‑and‑mouth, rabbit disease, caprine pox and ASF highlights how cross‑border animal trade and porous borders amplify the Balkans’ bio‑security emergency.

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

Timeline

  1. 1 day ago

    [HEALTH] 16 sources
    African swine fever prompts tighter controls in Serbia and Croatia

    Serbia culls 127 sheep/goats over a pox outbreak and >29 000 pigs for African swine fever; Croatia tightens ASF inspections. Illegal deer poaching in a restricted ASF zone raises bio‑security concerns.

  2. 2 days ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Rabbit disease kills over 1,500 in North Macedonia's Kumanovo region

    Over 1,500 rabbits have died from a rapidly spreading disease in North Macedonia’s Kumanovo region, prompting quarantine, market closures and calls for regional vaccination.

  3. 3 days ago

    [HEALTH] 6 sources
    Macedonia sheep farmers push for urgent foot‑and‑mouth vaccine

    Macedonian sheep farmers say foot‑and‑mouth disease has killed 2,700 sheep and demand urgent vaccine, higher compensation and movement bans to protect the livestock sector.

Sources

biznis.kurir.rs · biznis.rs · gerati.de · index.hr · ktv.rs · lajmpress.org · m.tportal.hr · magyarszo.rs · n1info.hr · nezavisen.mk · novamakedonija.com.mk · novilist.hr · politika.rs · prigorski.hr · republika.mk · sandzaklive.rs · sitel.com.mk · skopje1.mk · srbijadanas.com · szabadmagyarszo.com · tetovasot.com · tportal.hr · vecer.mk · vreme.com

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history