WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/1072/Add.1 
30 March 2011 
 
 (11-1556) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE SITUATION IN BULGARIA 
 
Communication from the European Union
 
 
Addendum  
 
  The following communication, received on 28 Marc h 2011, is being circulated at the request 
of the delegation of the European Union
. 
 
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I. STATE OF PLAY 
1. On 19 March 2011, Bulgaria reported a further out break (outbreak 4) in the municipality of 
Sredets, in a herd of 143 beef cattle on fenced grass.   Several animals in that herd displayed four-five 
days old lesions, reacted positive in an agent-identif ication test (PCR) and negative in a test for the 
detection of antibodies.  All susceptible animals w ithin three km of the infected premises will be 
culled and those in the three to ten km circle will be tested. 
Outbreak 4 (19 March 2011)  
 G/SPS/GEN/1072/Add.1 
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2. On 23 March 2011, in the framework of routine clinical examinations, clinical signs of FMD 
were observed in a bovine herd in one of the villages in the ten km su rveillance zone - Granichar, at a 
distance of six km from the infected premises of outbreak 4 in the municipality of Sredets.  On 24 March 2011 the National Reference Laboratory in So fia confirmed the diagnosis (outbreak 5).  All 
animals within 3 km of the infected premises will be  culled and those in the 3 to 10 km circle will be 
tested. 
Outbreak 5 (24 March 2011)
 
 
Legend:  The location of outbreak 4 (indicated as "1" in picture) and of the location of outbreak 5 
(indicated as "2" in the picture)  G/SPS/GEN/1072/Add.1 
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  3. Moreover, on 25 March 2011, the Bulgarian authorities informed the European Union about 
the confirmation of further FMD outbreaks in dom estic animals detected on 24 March 2011 in Sredets 
municipality on: 
• a cattle and pig holding located near Goliamo Bukowo village (outbreak 6); 
• a cattle holding located near Fakia village (outbreak 7); 
• a cattle holding near Momina Tsarkva village (outbreak 8). 
 
All susceptible animals within 3 km of the infected premises are being culled and those in the three to 
ten km circle have been tested.  
 
Legend [situation as of midday on 28 March 2011]:  The location of outbreaks 4 and 5 (indicated as 
"1" and "2" in picture) and of the location of outbreaks 6, 7 and 8 (indicated as "3", "4" and "5" in the picture). 
II. ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
4. Prior to 19 March, in the light of the favour able evolution of the disease situation the 
European Union, supported by the member States, in tended to reduce the size of the high-risk area to 
two municipalities only (Malko Tarnovo a nd Tsarevo - Annex I) until 30 April 2011,  and to include in 
the low-risk area (Annex II) only the three surrounding municipalities Sredets, Sozopol and Primorsko of the Burgas region.  This  decision was NOT formally adopted. 
5. Instead, in the light of the new outbreaks re ported since 19 March 2011, the European Union 
supported by the member States decided to retain th e larger regionalization, as originally set up in 
Decision 2011/44/EU, and to extend the date of appli cation until 30 June 2011.  This decision will be 
formally adopted before 31 March 2011. G/SPS/GEN/1072/Add.1 
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  6. The European Union has regularly dispatched in formation to international trade partners on 
the evolution of the FMD situation in Bulgaria and the actions undertaken to prevent any spread of 
disease from the affected area, including trade restrictions. 
7. For further information, a chronology of the main events and actions taken by the 
Commission is available on the website:  
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/di seases/controlmeasures/fmd_en.htm
. 
 
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