Bluetongue: latest situation

Contents:

• Latest updates
• Total number of cases
• Risk level
• Control zones
• Moving animals and animal products
• Vaccination and biosecurity
• Livestock identification and movement rules
• Importing animals and animal products
• Webinars, leaflets, videos and posters
• Defra’s bluetongue control strategy

Latest updates

1820 September 2025

ThreeOne new casescase of of BTV-3 were was confirmed on 1819 September 2025 following reports of suspicious clinical signs:

• onethree sheepcattle in Derbyshire
• one sheep and one cow in Cheshire
• one ewe in Cornwall

1719 September 2025

FiveNine new cases of of BTV-3 were were confirmed on 1719 September 2025 following reports of suspicious clinical signs:

• one sheepdairy cow in OxfordshireEast Sussex
• one sheep in Cornwall
• onetwo ramsteers in Cornwall
• 2one yearling boven in Derbyshire
• one dairy cowscow Westin YorkshireDerbyshire
• two withsheep milkin dropCornwall
• one cowram in LeicestershireDevon

One new case of of BTV-3 was was confirmed on 1719 September 2025 following a non-negative pre-movement test:

• two cattle in Shropshire

One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed on 19 September 2025 following a non-negative test following germinal product collection:

• one ram in East Sussex

1218 September 2025

OneThree new casecases of BTV-3 was were confirmed on 518 September 2025 following reports of suspicious clinical signs:

• twoone sheep in EastDerbyshire
• one Sussexsheep and one cow in Cheshire
• one ewe in Cornwall

1117 September 2025

Five new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed on 1117 September 2025 following reports of suspicious clinical signs:

• one ewesheep in CornwallOxfordshire
• one ramsheep in LancashireCornwall
• one eweram lamb in DevonCornwall
• 2 sheepdairy incows CornwallWest Yorkshire with milk drop
• one sheepcow in DevonLeicestershire

One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed on 17 September 2025 following a non-negative pre-movement test:

• two cattle in Shropshire

Restricted zone

The restricted zone for bluetongue was extended to cover all of England on 1 July 2025. You can now move animals within England without a specific bluetongue licence or pre-movement testing.

You will need a specific licence to freeze germinal products (semen, ova and embryo) anywhere in England and testing will be required. Keepers will be responsible for the cost of sampling, postage and testing. Further detail can be found in the declaration.

Check the guidance on:

• moving animals in England - including farms, markets, shows and slaughterhouses
• moving animals from England to Scotland
• moving animals from England to Wales
• collecting, freezing and moving germinal product in England

Total number of cases

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain for the 2025 to 2026 vector season (since July 2025) is 46.58. All cases have been in England.

The location of all premises in Great Britain where one or more animals have tested positive by PCR to bluetongue serotype 3 or serotype 12 is available on the bluetongue case map.

Risk level

TheTemperatures have continued to reduce in recent weeks, and experts consider the risk of transmissiononward viaspread infectedby midgesvectors isin nowsouth-east consideredand East Anglia to be high (event occurs very highoften), and in Englandthe south-west and mostnorth-east ofto Greatbe Britain.

Givenmedium the(event increaseoccurs inregularly). theThe numberrisk ofin caseseastern counties in EuropeScotland andis thelow increased(event temperaturesis suitablerare forbut onwarddoes transmission,occur).

The the risk of incursion of bluetongue virus (including serotypes not currently circulating in England) from all routes hasremains nowat been increased to medium (occurs often).regularly).

Control zones

Check if you’re in a zone on the bluetongue zone map.

Read the details of each zone.

Moving animals and animal products

Find out about:

• moving animals within the restricted zone
• general licences to move animals and germinal product from the restricted zone to Scotland or Wales
• moving, freezing and storing germinal product

Vaccination and biosecurity

Find out about:

• BTV-3 vaccination
• how to slow the spread of bluetongue

Livestock identification and movement rules

Find out about:

• keeping cattle, bison and buffalo in England and Wales
• keeping sheep and goats in England
• keeping deer in England: tagging, movement and record keeping rules

Contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) if you keep camelids (such as llamas or alpacas) or you’re unsure about the rules.

Importing animals and animal products

Check the rules on imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products.

Webinars, leaflets, videos and posters

Watch recordings of bluetongue webinars.

Find leaflets, videos and posters about bluetongue.

Defra’s bluetongue control strategy

Defra controls cases of bluetongue by following the Bluetongue: disease control framework in England