Bluetongue: latest situation

Contents:

• Total number of cases
• Latest updates
• 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

Total number of cases

There have been 172154 cases of bluetongue in Great Britain in the 2025 bluetongue season (since July 2025). In:

• England, there have been 159141 cases of bluetongue - including 145136 cases of only BTV-3, 1 case of only BTV-8 and 54 cases with both BTV-3 and BTV-8
• Wales, there have been 13 cases of BTV-3

There have been no cases in Scotland.

The location of all premises in Great Britain where one or more animals have tested positive by PCR for bluetongue serotype 3, serotype 8 or serotype 12 is available on the bluetongue case map.

Latest updates

101 November 2025

OneFour new casecases of BTV-3 in England waswere confirmed on 101 November 2025 following reports of poorsuspicious fertility:clinical signs:

• 2 newborn dairy calves in Staffordshire
• 1 bovinedairy oncow Islein ofLeicestershire
• 1 Wightpre-weaned suckler calf in Kent
• 1 suckler cow in Cornwall

One new case of with both BTV-3 in and BTV-8 in England was confirmed on 101 November 2025 following privateroutine testing:bluetongue surveillance:

• 12 bovinecattle in CheshireCornwall (1 was BTV-3 and 1 was BTV-8)

31 October 2025

One new case of BTV-3 in EnglandWales was confirmed on 1031 NovemberOctober 2025 following collectionsurveillance ofin germinalthe products:temporary control zone:

• 1 cowbovine in CheshireMonmouthshire

One new case of BTV-3 in EnglandWales was confirmed on 1031 NovemberOctober 2025 following a non-negative pre-movementpost-movement test:

• 1 bovine in Derbyshire in HampshireMonmouthshire

30 October

FourTwo new cases of BTV-3 in EnglandWales werewas confirmed on 1030 NovemberOctober 2025 following routinesurveillance bluetongue surveillance:

• 13 cattle in Westthe Sussex
• 8temporary cattlecontrol in Hampshire
zone:
• 81 cattlebovine in DevonMonmouthshire
• 6 cattle in HampshireMonmouthshire

729 NovemberOctober 2025

One new case of BTV-3 in England was confirmed on 729 NovemberOctober 2025 following reportsgerminal ofproduct suspicious clinical signs:collection:

• 1 bovinebull in DevonGloucestershire

One new case of BTV-3 in England was confirmed on 729 NovemberOctober 2025 following a non-negative pre-movement test:

• 48 cattle in HampshireKent

TwoThree new cases of BTV-3 in England were confirmed on 729 NovemberOctober 2025 following routine bluetongue surveillance:

• 21 cattlebovine in West SussexCornwall
• 2 cattle in DevonCornwall
• 1 bovine in Cornwall

5

One Novembernew case with both BTV-3 and BTV-8 in England was confirmed on 29 October 2025

following routine bluetongue surveillance:
• 2 cattle in Cornwall (1 was BTV-3 and 1 was BTV-8)

TwoThree new cases of BTV-3 in EnglandWales were confirmed on 529 NovemberOctober 2025 following reportssurveillance ofin suspiciousthe clinicaltemporary signs:control zone:

• 1 bovine in CornwallMonmouthshire
• 3 cattle in Monmouthshire
• 1 bovine in SomersetMonmouthshire

4 November 2025

One new case of BTV-3 in EnglandWales was confirmed on 429 NovemberOctober 2025 following reportsa ofnon-negative suspiciouspost-movement clinical signs:test:

• 1 finishing bovine in CornwallPowys

327 NovemberOctober 2025

OneTwo new casecases with both of BTV-3 and in BTV-8 in England waswere confirmed on 327 NovemberOctober 2025 following reports of suspicious clinical signs:

• 3 cattleyoung calves in Cornwall
• One (2yearling were BTV-3 anddairy 1heifer wasin BTV-8)Cornwall

TwoThree new cases of BTV-3 in England were confirmed on 327 NovemberOctober 2025 following non-negativeroutine pre-movementbluetongue test:surveillance:

• 1One bovine in CumbriaCornwall
• 15 bovinedairy youngstock in DerbyshireCornwall
• 4 suckler cows in Cornwall

124 NovemberOctober 2025

FourOne new casescase of BTV-3 in England werewas confirmed on 124 NovemberOctober 2025 following reports of suspicious clinical signs:

• 2one newborn4-month-old dairycalf calves in StaffordshireCheshire
• 1

Two dairynew cowcases inof BTV-3 in Leicestershire

• 1England pre-weanedwere sucklerconfirmed calfon 24 October 2025 following routine bluetongue surveillance:
  • 6 cattle in KentCornwall
  • 12 sucklercattle cow in Cornwall

  One new case with both BTV-3 and BTV-8 in England was confirmed on 124 NovemberOctober 2025 following routine bluetongue surveillance:

  • 27 cattle in Cornwall (1(6 was were BTV-3 and and 1 was BTV-8)

  Risk level

  TemperaturesOne havenew continuedcase toof BTV-3 in reduceWales inwas recentconfirmed weeks,on and24 expertsOctober consider2025 thefollowing risksurveillance ofin onwardthe spreadtemporary bycontrol vectorszone:

  • one bovine in theMonmouthshire

  Two south-east,new Eastcases Anglia,of BTV-3 in theEngland south-westwere andconfirmed theon north-east24 toOctober be2025 veryfollowing lowa (eventnon-negative ispre-movement raretest:

  • one butbovine cannotin Derbyshire

  Restricted Zone to be excluded).declared Therein isWales howeveron still10 aNovember risk2025

  Given thatmidge-borne animalsBluetongue canvirus gethas infectedreached fromWales, alreadyand infectedhistoric midgestemperature ordata fromand infectedmodelling germinalwork products.

  Theindicates riskit ofis incursionvery unlikely for midge-borne transmission of bluetongue virus (includingto serotypesoccur notafter currently10 circulatingNovember in England)Wales, fromthe allDeputy routesFirst remainsMinister atand mediumCabinet (occursSecretary regularly)for althoughClimate theChange riskand ofRural airborneAffairs incursionwill isdeclare nowan lowall-Wales (eventRestricted isZone rare(RZ) butcommencing doeson occur).10 November. See GOV.Wales for details.

  Temporary Control zones

  Zone in Wales

  CheckFollowing ifthe you’reconfirmation inof bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) at a zonepremises onin the Monmouthshire, Wales, the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for Wales has announced that a bluetongue temporary control zone map(TCZ). has been put in place around the premises from Wednesday 1 October.

  ReadFind theinformation detailson ofbluetongue eachcontrols zoneand licence requirements on GOV.WALES.

  Wales:Restricted country-wide restricted zone from 10 November

  AnThe all-Wales restricted zone for bluetongue was introducedextended fromto 00:01amcover all of England on 101 NovemberJuly 2025. ThisYou hascan thenow followingmove effects:animals within England without a specific bluetongue licence or pre-movement testing.

  • end

    You ofwill temporaryneed controla zonespecific -licence theto temporaryfreeze controlgerminal zoneproducts (semen, ova and itsembryo) restrictionsanywhere havein ended

  • endEngland ofand premises-leveltesting restrictionswill -be individualrequired. premisesKeepers acrosswill Walesbe areresponsible nofor longerthe subjectcost toof bluetongue-specificsampling, movementpostage orand controltesting. Further restrictions
  detail can be found in the declaration.

  Check the guidance on:

  • freemoving movementanimals ofin livestockEngland - livestockincluding movementsfarms, betweenmarkets, Englandshows and Walesslaughterhouses
  • moving noanimals longerfrom requireEngland bluetongueto vaccinationScotland
  • moving oranimals mitigationfrom measuresEngland to Wales
  • continuedcollecting, restrictionsfreezing onand moving germinal productsproduct -in youEngland

  Risk mustlevel

  Temperatures continuehave continued to testreduce donorin animalsrecent beforeweeks, freezing and marketingexperts germinalconsider products,the asrisk thisof providesonward qualityspread assuranceby andvectors reducesin the risksouth-east, ofEast longer-termAnglia, bluetonguethe transmission

  England:south-west country-wideand restrictedthe zone

  Thenorth-east wholeto ofbe Englandvery low (event is inrare abut bluetonguecannot restrictedbe zone.excluded). YouThere canis movehowever still a risk that animals withincan Englandget withoutinfected afrom specificalready bluetongueinfected licencemidges or pre-movementfrom testing.infected germinal products.

  YouThe needrisk aof specificincursion licenceof tobluetongue freezevirus germinal(including productsserotypes (semen,not ovacurrently andcirculating embryo) anywhere in EnglandEngland) andfrom testingall isroutes required.remains Keepersat aremedium responsible(occurs forregularly) although the costrisk of sampling,airborne postageincursion andis testing. Therenow low (event is morerare detailbut does occur).

  Control zones

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

  Read the declarationdetails 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