Bluetongue in Britain: cases, risk and rules Jan 2026

Defra and APHA updated the bluetongue situation on 30 January 2026. There have been 282 confirmed cases in Great Britain since July 2025, and five new BTV‑3 cases were confirmed between 27 and 29 January in East Sussex, West Sussex, Greater London and Shropshire. We’ll keep this explainer practical and easy to use for classrooms and farm teams. (gov.uk)

First, a refresher for you and your learners: bluetongue is a notifiable animal disease spread by biting midges. It affects cattle, sheep, goats, deer and camelids, but it does not affect people or food safety. Typical signs include fever, mouth ulcers, swelling around the head and lameness; any suspicion must be reported to APHA. (gov.uk)

When officials talk about serotypes, they mean different types of the virus. This season has been driven by BTV‑3, with one BTV‑8 case and seven mixed BTV‑3/BTV‑8 cases in England, plus a single BTV‑12 case earlier in 2025. The 2025 season tally shows 261 cases in England and 21 in Wales, and none in Scotland. Defra’s live case map shows locations. (gov.uk)

Season matters because midges slow down in cold weather. Defra’s assessment says the risk of onward spread by vectors is now negligible in the south‑east, East Anglia, the south‑west and the north‑east. The overall chance of a new introduction from elsewhere stays at medium, and airborne spread is now negligible; risks from infected midges already present and from germinal products remain. (gov.uk)

For keepers in England, the whole country is in a bluetongue restricted zone. You can move animals within England without a bluetongue licence or pre‑movement test. Freezing semen, ova or embryos requires a specific licence and testing, with keepers covering the sampling, postage and test costs as set out in Defra’s declaration. (gov.uk)

In Wales, ministers created an all‑Wales BTV‑3 restricted zone from 10 November 2025. That ended the earlier temporary control zone and premises‑level restrictions, and restored free movement of livestock between England and Wales without bluetongue vaccination, while keeping testing for donor animals before freezing and marketing germinal products. (gov.uk)

If you need to move animals across borders, GOV.UK lists general licences for moves from the restricted zone to Scotland or Wales, alongside rules for moving and freezing germinal products. DAERA also permits certain movements from Northern Ireland to Great Britain under licence, and sets the conditions in an official notice. (gov.uk)

Northern Ireland’s position is important for British keepers who buy in animals. DAERA has confirmed four BTV‑3 cases and is investigating a suspect case reported on 23 January 2026 near Portavogie in County Down. Temporary Control Zones remain in place and the department is funding pre‑movement testing within the TCZ for a limited period. (gov.uk)

On vaccination, speak with your vet and check the GOV.UK guidance on BTV‑3 vaccines and post‑vaccination testing. Wales encourages keepers to vaccinate as part of risk reduction. In Northern Ireland, ministers have approved voluntary BTV‑3 vaccination subject to licensing, adding a tool for keepers alongside surveillance and movement controls. (gov.uk)

How cases are picked up tells us something about control. Several January detections followed a vet’s report of suspicious signs; others came from private tests ahead of semen or embryo collection. Confirmation relies on PCR tests to identify the serotype, and England’s guidance explains when free testing applies and how private testing works if it does not. (gov.uk)

What this means in practice: keep clear records, talk to your vet about vaccination and midges, house animals at dawn and dusk when midges are most active, and report any suspect case to APHA immediately. Donor animals must be tested before freezing germinal products; this offers quality assurance and reduces longer‑term transmission risks. (gov.uk)

Word bank for learners: serotype means a type of the virus; vector means the biting midge that spreads it; germinal products means semen, ova and embryos. Use the Defra case map and zone map on GOV.UK to trace changes over time and discuss how risk assessments guide real‑world rulemaking for farms. (gov.uk)