"We express serious concern following the identification of a new outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease on a cattle farm in the Muravera area." This is what was stated in a statement from Confagricoltura Sardegna , following the alarm raised by the new cases of Lumpy Skin Disease confirmed by the National Veterinary Epidemiological Bulletin.

A herd of 148 animals was affected: five were found to be ill and four died from the disease that had triggered an epidemic on the island in recent months, leading to a halt in the movement of livestock and a halt to exports. This emergency period lasted until last January, during which a massive (and controversial) vaccination campaign was launched and hundreds of animals had to be culled. Now the alarm is raised again. "We trust in the effective intervention of the Region and its veterinary services, to ensure all necessary biosecurity measures are ensured to prevent our farmers from having to relive the extreme emergency conditions they faced from June 2025 until a few months ago," is the appeal launched by the president of Confagricoltura Sardegna, Stefano Taras .

The Regional Department of Hygiene and Health also intervened in the case: "In compliance with the provisions of Regional Council Resolution No. 39/78 of July 24, 2025, and following the reporting of the case, a technical discussion table was urgently requested to assess and adopt all necessary actions to contain and manage the health event" of the new bovine dermatitis outbreak discovered in Muravera, according to a statement.

The department, it is explained, immediately activated the required procedures, promptly contacting the Ministry of Health to ensure maximum institutional coordination in managing the emergency. At the same time, a request was made to convene the Permanent Roundtable on Lumpy Bovine Dermatitis.

The regional statement continues: "The main competent institutional and operational bodies were involved in the technical roundtable, including: the Regional Secretariat General; the Directorate General of Health; the Public Veterinary Health and Food Safety Service; the "G. Pegreffi" Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Sardinia; and the Departments of Transport, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture."

Furthermore, " the detected outbreak has been culled, in accordance with current protocols, and a protection zone has been established with restrictive measures lasting at least 15 days , as required by health regulations, to contain and monitor the possible spread of the virus." Furthermore, the department explains, "investigations are currently underway on neighboring farms, with the aim of precisely defining the perimeter of the affected area and preventing the possible spread of the infection." The reassurances are further given: "The situation is under control and is constantly monitored by the regional health and agriculture departments, in close coordination with the competent health authorities and the relevant bodies. The Region assures its full commitment to monitoring the situation and promptly adopting all necessary measures to protect the livestock sector and animal health."

News of the new outbreak has also sparked political reactions. "We said it, in black and white, several days ago. Unfortunately, today the facts prove us right," wrote Aldo Salaris, councilor of the Sardinian Reformers, in a statement. He added: "We are not facing an unforeseeable event, but the concrete risk we highlighted in our question about 20 days ago. Without prevention and timely intervention, the disease would have returned to strike the Sardinian livestock sector, and so it has."

For this reason, Salaris once again calls for "immediate intervention from the Region." "First and foremost," he states, "the presidential ordinance and the existing operational protocol for disease and vector control must be implemented immediately . There's no time to waste; the tools are there and must be used without hesitation. We can't wait for outbreaks to multiply."

(Unioneonline)

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