Wild animals Deer with tuberculosis found in Montafon (A) near the border

SDA

29.10.2024 - 08:39

Tuberculosis has been found in two dead deer in an area close to the border with Graubünden. The bacterial infectious disease can also be transmitted to humans. (symbolic image)
Tuberculosis has been found in two dead deer in an area close to the border with Graubünden. The bacterial infectious disease can also be transmitted to humans. (symbolic image)
Keystone

The infectious disease tuberculosis has been detected in two dead deer in the Austrian Montafon. In order to prevent transmission to Graubünden, a third of all dead deer in the area close to the border must now be tested.

The municipalities of Seewis, Grüsch, Schiers, Luzein, Küblis and the Saas fraction in Klosters, which lie north-east of Landquart, are affected, as the Graubünden Office for Food Safety and Animal Health wrote in a press release on Tuesday morning.

The aim of this investigation offensive is to prevent the disease from spreading to the wild animal population and cattle in the region. However, there are already other suspected cases in the area close to the border.

The logistically challenging implementation is supported by the cantonal patent hunters' association and the Office for Hunting and Fishing. It was only in June of this year that a private ban on feeding deer, roe deer, chamois and ibex in the border area with Vorarlberg and Tyrol, which had been in place since 2016, was extended. This was because partial contamination by tuberculosis was already known.

According to the authorities, Switzerland is considered to be free of the bacterial infectious disease in livestock and wild animals. Tuberculosis is chronic and can also be transmitted to humans.

SDA