A new outbreak of lumpy skin disease in cattle has occurred in southern Sardinia . This time, a farm in Ballao has been affected.

This is the fourth outbreak confirmed by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo , the Italian reference centre, after those discovered in Muravera (2, one of which is no longer counted), in the south-eastern part of the island, and in nearby Villaputzu , also in the Sarrabus area.

The chemical analyses date back to yesterday.

Currently, according to the national veterinary epidemiological bulletin, a total of 6 sick animals have been identified, 2 have died, and 179 have been culled to date in accordance with EU regulations.

This last event will therefore mark the participation of the oxen pulling the carriage and other decorated carts for the 370th Feast of Sant'Efisio in Cagliari on May 1st.

The event will be presented today: the statue of the Saint will be transported from the church of Stampace on a sedan chair , carried by the brothers who are custodians of the rite, who will take turns carrying it to the former semolina factory on Viale La Playa. From there, it will be transferred to a vehicle yet to be determined.

The decision was made in compliance with quarantine restrictions and therefore restrictions on movement between territories within an area of approximately 50 kilometers as the crow flies—45 kilometers between Ballao and Cagliari—from the cluster farm.

Among the difficulties, however, there is also some good news: from Capoterra to Nora (Pula) the oxen will be able to be used both for the Saint's carriage and for the carts , the "traccas", because they are outside the restricted area.

"The bombs of '43, the floods, and COVID didn't stop us. Not even bovine eczema will stop us," said Andrea Loi, president of the Archconfraternity of the Gonfalone.

(Unioneonline)

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