Agriculture minister, Mae de la Concha, has given emergency authorisation to vaccinate sheep and cattle in the Balearics.
This is in response to the detection of Bluetongue disease at sixteen livestock farms in Mallorca. The serotype strain that has so far affected nineteen animals comes from the Balkans. The disease is caused by the Bluetongue virus, which is transmitted by midges and causes high mortality. It is not harmful to humans and the agriculture ministry is stressing that it doesn't affect meat from sheep and cattle.
Sheep are most commonly affected, and cattle less so. Goats and other ruminants can also be affected.
The vaccination process will start next week. All sheep and cattle will be vaccinated with 400,000 doses that are being sent from Extremadura.