Bluetongue continues to spread in the UK with the disease now confirmed in 41 animals at 13 infected premises, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Following reports of clinical suspicion in sheep and cattle on three new premises in Norfolk and Suffolk, bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) has been confirmed at these premises.
Due to continued evidence of local transmission of the virus, the restricted zone and infected area has been extended to cover Essex. It now covers the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
The first case of bluetongue in the UK since March 2024 was detected in a single sheep at a premises near Haddiscoe, South Norfolk on August 26. Since then, the disease has been confirmed on 12 further premises.
Bluetongue
Movement restrictions apply to all ruminants and camelids moving out of the zone, and to the movement of their germinal products within the zone, the Defra said.
Defra urges farmers to only move animals within the extended zone where this is absolutely necessary. To move animals in a disease control zone in England, Scotland or Wales, farmers need a licence.
Free testing is available for animals moving from high-risk counties outside of the restricted zone to elsewhere in Great Britain, however, priority will be given to testing within the temporary control zone.
This includes animals sold at a market within a high-risk county and moved elsewhere. The high-risk counties are Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex, according to the Defra.
Irish livestock
Following the outbreak of the disease in the UK last week, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) advised farmers to stay vigilant due to an “increasing risk” to Irish livestock.
Livestock farmers have been advised to review their farm biosecurity arrangements, avoid introducing cattle or sheep from affected areas and countries, and to report any suspicion of disease to the DAFM.
Bluetongue virus 3 (BTV-3) has been spreading rapidly across north-western Europe since last autumn. There are a growing number of cases in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, with the disease also confirmed in France, Luxembourg and Denmark.
The high-risk period in Ireland runs from spring until late autumn when midges are most abundant. It is crucial to report any suspicion of bluetongue to the local Regional Veterinary Office (RVO) without delay, the DAFM said.
