Two more counties have joined the list of areas affected by restrictions intended to limit the current bluetongue outbreak in England and Wales.

A restricted zone, which already stretches from Yorkshire to the south coast, has now been widened to include both Buckinghamshire and parts of Berkshire.

The move followed confirmation of three new cases of the BTV-3 virus strain along the border of Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, which is already within the zone, on Thursday 10 October.

Officials said the extension was imposed in line with the policy aim of “seeking to contain and slow the spread of disease”.

Since August

At that stage, 136 premises in England, plus two in Wales, were known to have been affected by the outbreak since it began in late August.

Since then, a further two cases – one each in Norfolk and Suffolk – have been confirmed after clinical signs were reported.

Meanwhile, the number of bluetongue cases recorded outside the restricted zone has increased to 10.

The affected premises have all been placed under restrictions and the affected animals, which are understood to have been moved to the affected sites from areas where disease was circulating prior to restrictions being implemented, have been culled.

Congress

The bluetongue situation will be high on the agenda for this week’s BCVA Congress in Newport, with sessions planned on both Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile, registration is also open for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s latest webinar on the virus this Wednesday 16 October at 5pm.