Scrapie outbreak

Three cases of scrapie have been identified in Iceland in the last month.

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep. Two of the confirmed cases are in Skagafjörður and the third, in Vatnsnes, both in Northern Iceland.

Cases not connected

The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (IFVA) is currently gathering data and preparing further action, but so far there is not considered to be any link between the cases at the two sites. In the IFVA’s view, the current spate of cases may be attributable to greater care and attention exercised by farmers in the light of the first reported cases.