Global Feta Cheese Supply Threatened as Virus Kills Almost 500,000 Goats and Sheep in Greece

Our Greek salads may look a bit different next year as Greece faces a potential feta cheese shortage.

The shortage is due to an ongoing outbreak of goat and sheep pox that started in August of 2024. The virus, now spread to many parts of the country, has led to the culling of almost half a million goats and sheep. Although the virus can’t be transmitted to humans, the shortage of sheep and goat milk is likely to severely affect Greece’s ability to produce one of its top food exports.

What Is Sheep and Goat Pox?

Sheep pox and goat pox are two separate but similar viral diseases caused by strains of Capripoxvirus. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, symptoms of the disease include fever, infected papules, lung lesions, and even death. The virus is also quite resilient, remaining in wool for two months and in sheep and goat enclosures for up to six months.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Discover Magazine