MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bluetongue virus, BTV 3, has spread to the whole of South East England

DEFRA announced on Saturday that 'high risk' and 'control' zones previously set up in the UK had been merged and extended.

As more cases were found temporary restriction zones have been brought in to help stem the spread of the bluetongue virus (BTV-3), some 95 cases, which now cover the whole of the South East England.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs announced on Saturday that 'high risk' and 'control' zones previously set up in the UK had been merged and extended.

The virus is not harmful to humans but can lead to blue, swollen tongues in animals, reduced birth rates and limited milk yields.

It is spread by midges that are often blown over from mainland Europe during spells of warm weather.

The new restrictions cover all of Surrey, West Sussex and Greater London, and comes days after DEFRA extended the zones to cover the whole of Kent and East Sussex.

A government spokesperson said: “Following reports of suspicion of clinical disease in sheep at premises in East Sussex and East Yorkshire the UK CVO [chief veterinary officer] has confirmed two new cases of BTV-3.”

Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are all now included in the restricted zones, along with Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and East Yorkshire. There are now 95 cases in the country of the virus.

The government said the zones were extended “following the identification of cases close to the edge of the bluetongue restricted zone and in accordance with our policy of seeking to contain and slow the spread of disease”.

The restricted zone was already beginning to have a financial impact on some farmers in South East of England.

Last July and August UK's Chief Veterinary Officer had warned that a rising number of bluetongue cases in Europe, called for renewed vigilance and responsible sourcing of livestock.

At the time the latest outbreak assessment, the Animal and Plant Health Agency confirms the growing number of cases of Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, with over 4,000 recorded new cases reported since May 2024.

The first ever cases of BTV-3 have also been confirmed in France, Luxembourg and Denmark, while the virus strain has successfully overwintered in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

While the overall risk level for an incursion of BTV-3 into Great Britain remains at medium, the risk of infected midges being blown over from northern Europe is variable and continues to depend on weather conditions, with midges generally more active during the warmer months.

Farmers should therefore continue to monitor their animals frequently for clinical signs and are reminded of the vital importance of responsible sourcing of animals with a reliable health status. Always speak to your private vet when importing livestock, as the situation in Europe is continually changing.

Free testing is also available for animals moving from the highest risk counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex to elsewhere in Great Britain. This includes animals sold at a market within a high-risk county and moved elsewhere. This will help guard against animal movements potentially transporting undetected disease to new areas.

Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: “BTV outbreaks in Europe are on the rise and we must remain vigilant to the threat of disease spread. If you suspect disease in your animals please report.

“If you intend to move animals to live out of high-risk counties, including if you are buying in new animals, please take advantage of the free testing scheme to help stop the movement of non-clinical disease.

“Bluetongue does not pose a threat to human health or food safety, but the disease can impact livestock farms, and damage animal and business productivity.”