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Five new cases of the bluetongue virus have been confirmed in England this Friday by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Three new cases were also identified on Thursday 14 December.
These latest cases are within an existing temporary control zone (TCZ) in northeast Kent. The TCZ is not being extended.
All animals have been humanely culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission.
This brings the total number of bluetongue cases to 19 on eight different holdings in England.
A second TCZ was also established in Norfolk last week.
No vaccine
The cases are of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV 3), the strain of the disease for which there is no vaccine.
Bluetongue, which affects ruminants, does not affect humans or pose a risk to food safety.
DEFRA said there is no evidence of the virus circulating in the UK.
The first bluetongue case in England resulted in a ban on cattle, sheep and other ruminants moving to the island of Ireland.
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