New case of bluetongue virus confirmed at Shropshire farm
A new case of bluetongue has been discovered on a farm in Shropshire.
A case of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) has been confirmed in Shropshire, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have announced this week.
Bluetongue is a viral disease spread mainly through the bites of infected midges. While it poses no risk to human health or food safety, it can lead to significant restrictions on animal movement and trade.
The virus affects a range of livestock, including sheep, cattle, goats, and deer, as well as camelids such as llamas and alpacas.
The latest case in Shropshire was found during a postmortem examination on an aborted bovine calf, following approximately 20 other abortions in the herd.
The discovery brings the total number of bluetongue cases in England and Wales since July 1, 2025 to 298. There have been no cases in Scotland.
