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The number of confirmed bluetongue-3 cases in the latest outbreak to hit Norfolk and Suffolk has climbed to 27.
There had been no bluetongue cases detected across the UK since March until a single case was confirmed in a sheep in Norfolk on Monday.
The virus has since been detected on a further nine farms.
A temporary control zone established around the first confirmed case was revoked and replaced by a larger bluetongue restricted zone covering Norfolk and Suffolk on foot of the increased case confirmations.
The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has urged farmers in the restricted zone to only move animals where absolutely necessary and restrictions are in place to all ruminant movements out of the zone.
Heightened risk
The outbreak comes after weeks of rising case numbers on continental Europe, with the virus showing a resurgence in the Netherlands in particular, despite the roll-out of emergency-approved vaccines.
Midges act as vectors of the disease and may travel on wind from mainland Europe to the UK.
These midges are usually most active between the warmer months of May and October, with this period posing a heightened transmission risk.
Last week, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue called on Irish farmers to stay vigilant for signs of bluetongue and to report any suspected cases to their local regional veterinary office.
Farmers can find the Department of Agriculture’s answers to their questions on the bluetongue virus here.
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