Bluetongue in Great Britain: cases, risk and rules

Here’s where bluetongue stands today. As of 20 December 2025, Great Britain has recorded 264 cases in the 2025 season (since July). England accounts for 243 cases - 235 BTV‑3 only, one BTV‑8 only, and seven with both. Wales has 21 BTV‑3. Scotland has none. Northern Ireland has one confirmed BTV‑3 case.

New this week: fifteen BTV‑3 cases were confirmed between 16 and 19 December across Kent, Cornwall, Cheshire, Powys, Derbyshire, Wrexham, Somerset, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Greater Manchester and Cumbria, identified through routine surveillance, clinical reports and private testing.

What’s the risk right now? With temperatures dropping, officials judge onward spread by biting midges to be negligible in the south‑east, East Anglia, the south‑west and the north‑east. Overall risk of bluetongue entering Great Britain remains medium; airborne incursion is negligible. Infection can still come from infected midges already present or from infected semen, ova and embryos.

What this means for you. The whole of England is in a restricted zone, so animals can move within England without a bluetongue licence or pre‑movement testing. Freezing germinal products needs a specific licence and testing, with costs met by the keeper. Wales moved to a country‑wide restricted zone at 00:01 on 10 November, lifting temporary control zones and premises‑level restrictions and allowing free livestock movement between England and Wales under zone rules; donor animals for germinal products must still be tested.

Planning a move across borders. If you are moving animals or germinal products from the restricted zone to Scotland or Wales, use the correct general licence, meet its conditions, keep a copy during transport and always download the latest version. In Northern Ireland, DAERA allows some movements under licence: moves direct to slaughter are permitted, and livestock outside the temporary control zones can move to Great Britain under normal requirements.

Vaccination. Three BTV‑3 vaccines are permitted in Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Bluevac‑3, Bultavo 3 and SYVAZUL BTV 3 - with reporting and licensing conditions that vary by country. Trade restrictions still apply to vaccinated animals, and pre‑movement testing should not be done until at least seven days after vaccination.

Spotting signs and reporting. Bluetongue does not affect people or food safety. In cattle, watch for lethargy, fever, milk drop, redness in the mouth and crusty lesions around the muzzle; in sheep, look for mouth ulcers, swelling of the lips or tongue, lameness and fever. If you suspect bluetongue, report it promptly via APHA or the relevant national authority.

Northern Ireland context. There is one confirmed BTV‑3 case in Northern Ireland. DAERA has reported additional suspected positives in a County Down herd and set temporary control zones while further testing continues. For farms inside TCZs, moves remain tightly controlled; outside TCZs, movements to Great Britain can proceed under normal requirements.

Glossary to read with students. Bluetongue is a notifiable viral disease of ruminants spread mainly by biting midges. Serotype means the specific type of bluetongue virus such as BTV‑3 or BTV‑8. Vectors are the insects that transmit infection between animals. Germinal products are semen, ova and embryos used in breeding. A restricted zone is a legal area with rules for moves and breeding during an outbreak.

Quick Q&A for class discussion. Why do cases still appear in winter? Some infections are picked up late, and a small number of midges may still be active; colder weather reduces midge activity, so onward spread by vectors is currently judged negligible in parts of England. Can the virus arrive without midges? Overall incursion risk is medium from all routes, though airborne incursion is negligible; infection can still come from infected midges and germinal products. Should you vaccinate? That’s a keeper‑and‑vet decision; if using BTV‑3 vaccines, remember trade rules still apply and plan testing windows carefully.

Map task. On a blank map of Great Britain, label Kent, Cornwall, Cheshire, Powys, Derbyshire, Wrexham, Somerset, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Greater Manchester and Cumbria. These are the places named in this week’s updates - a useful prompt to discuss weather, on‑farm biosecurity and movement routes.

Short timeline. The first BTV‑3 case of the 2025–26 vector season was confirmed on 11 July 2025. Authorities recorded 163 cases between August 2024 and May 2025, including one BTV‑12 on 7 February 2025. There were 126 BTV‑3 cases between November 2023 and March 2024; before that, the last UK outbreak was BTV‑8 in 2007–08.

What to do this week. Check if your holding is inside a restricted zone and read the right general licence before planning any movement. Talk to your vet about vaccination, and keep records of any vaccine use or germinal product testing. All of this sits inside Defra’s bluetongue control framework, which guides how APHA and Defra respond to BTV‑3.