Authorities in the UK have established a 20km bluetongue control zone around a farm near Withernsea in east Yorkshire.

The move follows the confirmation of a bluetongue-3 case on a cattle farm in the area, which had previously been free from the disease, and the case has been culled to reduce the risk of transmission.

The finding takes the number of farms where bluetongue has been detected in Britain to 16 since late August, as the disease’s restricted zone now covers Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

Up to this, the UK had not witnessed a case of the virus since March.

Restrictions

Restrictions apply to the movement of all ruminants moving out of the restricted zone and to the movement of germinal products, including semen, within the zone.

Continental Europe has also witnessed a spike in bluetongue cases over recent weeks, with the situation in the Netherlands particularly challenging.