Greece has banned the movement of goats and sheep from their farms to combat a deadly outbreak of “goat plague”.

The minister of agriculture and rural development, Costas Tsiaras, announced the ban on the commercial slaughter of goats and sheep as well as movement for reproduction throughout the country.

The move expanded measures already in effect in parts of central Greece where the outbreak was first reported.

The virus, also known as peste des petits ruminants (PPR), is highly contagious and causes severe illness and death in goats and sheep.

It does not affect humans but can kill up to 70% of infected goats and sheep.

Some 7,000 animals in herds where the disease has been identified have been culled so far in the hardest-hit central Thessaly region.

Another 1,200 will be culled later this week, regional governor Dimitris Kouretas said.

“Tightening the security measures across the country is deemed necessary for preventive reasons and is aimed at limiting the spread and eradicating the disease,” the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

Once a case is detected the entire flock is culled, the affected farm disinfected and animals in nearby areas are tested for the disease, in line with European Union protocols.

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PPR was first described in the Ivory Coast in 1942.

It has since spread around the world, with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations estimating it results in losses of up to $2.1bn (£1.6bn) globally each year.

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The World Organisation for Animal Health describes the virus as “characterised by severe morbidity and mortality rates” with a high economic impact in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, where goats and sheep are an important source of food.

Greece is home to the largest number of goats in Europe and their milk is used to make Greece’s trademark feta cheese.

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