New Animal Brain Disease Reported

Britain is taking steps to advise people about an animal brain disease affecting sheep that may pose a risk to humans.

The public has been told to avoid mutton, goat and some sausages, reports The Times of London. The country’s Food Standard Agency says it cannot rule out the risk to human health.

The disease is reported to be similar to classic scrapie, a brain-wasting disease that has been known in sheep for more than 100 years but which until now has not raised concerns for humans.

The agency said it is updating guidance to shoppers because it does not know whether atypical scrapie can affect health.

It also plans to ask the European Commission for the immediate introduction of new labeling rules to identify products containing mutton.