The number of premises infected with bluetongue in the UK has risen to 10, with the disease now confirmed in 27 animals, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said.

Following reports of clinical suspicion in sheep and cattle on five new premises in Norfolk and Suffolk, bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) has been confirmed at these premises.

Last week, the first case of bluetongue in the 2024/25 vector season was detected in a single sheep at a premises near Haddiscoe, South Norfolk. This was the first case since March.

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According to the Defra, there is now evidence of some local transmission of the bluetongue virus which was also confirmed in three animals on two new sites in Norfolk and Suffolk late last week.

In accordance with the bluetongue disease control framework, the existing temporary control zone has been revoked and replaced by a larger bluetongue restricted zone covering Norfolk and Suffolk.

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.

The bluetongue virus is primarily transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep, goats, deer and camelids such as llamas and alpacas.

The overall risk of incursion of the virus into Great Britain remains at “medium” (occurs regularly), and covers all possible pathways, including the movement of live animals and vector-borne spread.

However, the risk of air-borne incursion of midges infected with the virus will fluctuate with wind and weather conditions and the scale of disease in northern Europe, the Defra said.

During the 2023/24 vector season, between November 2023 and March 2024, there were 126 bluetongue cases in England on 73 premises in four counties.

There were 119 cases in cattle and seven cases in sheep. During this period, the bluetongue virus was found in Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk, according to the Defra.