Weekly Report - 29 March 2012 (WR-12-13)

MEXICO | Schmallenberg causes border closure. On 26 March the national agriculture and food sanitation and quality control service (Senasica) announced that Mexico had suspended all imports of genetic material (semen and embryos) coming from Europe. Senasica explained that this was a precautionary measure to stop the spread of the Schmallenberg virus which attacks sheep and goats. According to Senasica, due to the lack of scientific information regarding the virus’ transmission mechanism and given that Mexico is considered to be free from the virus, the decision was taken to suspend indefinitely the import of all genetic material including those from other species as “they could play a part in the transmission of the disease”. The Schmallenberg virus was first identified in Germany in November 2011 and it has quickly been spreading across Europe. It has severe effects on livestock, causing fever, a decrease in milk production, abortions and genetic malformations. Mexico is the first Latin American country formally to close its border to European imports as a result of the Schmallenberg outbreak.

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