A further five cases of bluetongue have been confirmed by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 19 on eight different holdings, following three that were confirmed by the department yesterday (Thursday, December 14).
Defra said the new bluetongue cases, which were all detected in cattle, were confirmed following active surveillance in the north-east Kent temporary control zone (TCZ).
The cattle were all in the same holding in the Sandwich Bay area, situated within the existing TCZ.
“All five animals will be humanely culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission,” Defra said.
“The TCZ is not being extended and movement restrictions continue to apply to cattle, sheep and other ruminants in the zone.
“There is currently still no evidence that bluetongue virus is circulating in Great Britain. Surveillance is ongoing.”
The TCZ was set up around the initial case in early November, near Canterbury in Kent, with a radius of 10km from the case premises.
Since then, cases of the disease have also been confirmed in Cantley, Broadland in Norfolk. A 10km TCZ was then declared around that premises.
Bluetongue
Bluetongue does not affect people or food safety. The virus is transmitted by midge bites and affects cows, goats, and sheep among other animals.
The midges are most active between April and November. Not all susceptible animals show immediate, or any, signs of contracting the virus.
The impacts on susceptible animals can vary considerably. Some show no symptoms or effects at all, while other animals will experience productivity issues such as reduced milk yield.
In the most severe cases, the disease can be fatal for infected animals.
Farmers in England’s south-east and its surrounding areas have been urged to be vigilant for bluetongue virus (BTV) on their farms.
