UK bluetongue cases and rules updated 6 February 2026

You might keep sheep, study biology or teach geography - here’s your week’s bluetongue briefing. Bluetongue is a midge‑borne virus that affects cattle, sheep, goats, deer and camelids; it does not affect people or food safety. As of 6 February 2026, officials report 288 confirmed cases this season in Great Britain since July 2025: 267 in England and 21 in Wales, with none in Scotland. In England, most positives are serotype BTV‑3, with one BTV‑8 only case and seven mixed BTV‑3/BTV‑8 detections. (gov.uk)

What’s new this week matters because it helps you spot patterns. On 5 February 2026, the latest lab‑confirmed case came from Staffordshire after investigations into multiple abortions in a herd. Earlier in the week, cases linked to abortion and calf brain abnormalities were noted in Devon, Oxfordshire and Cumbria through clinical reports and follow‑up testing. (gov.uk)

How infection travels is a classic vector story. Certain biting midges carry the virus between animals, while infection can also move with animals and with germinal products such as semen, ova and embryos. Transmission from a pregnant animal to its offspring can occur too, which explains the congenital problems highlighted in recent updates. (gov.uk)

Risk shifts with the weather. Defra’s latest assessment says onward spread by vectors is now negligible in the south‑east, East Anglia, the south‑west and the north‑east as temperatures fall, but infection can still appear from already infected midges or germinal products. The overall risk of new introductions remains medium, and airborne incursion is negligible. What this means: winter buys time, not immunity. (gov.uk)

Zones are simply the rules drawn on a map. All of England remains a bluetongue restricted zone. Wales moved to a country‑wide restricted zone at 00:01 on 10 November 2025, ending the temporary control zone and premises‑level restrictions; livestock can now move between England and Wales without mandatory bluetongue vaccination, while donor testing for germinal products continues. (gov.uk)

If you are planning moves, here’s the plain‑English version. Within England you do not need a specific bluetongue licence or pre‑movement tests to move animals, as long as you meet the conditions of the general licence EXD612(E). Moves to Scotland or Wales sit under general licences set out by government. Freezing semen, ova or embryos requires a specific licence and testing, with keepers covering sampling and postage costs. (gov.uk)

Vaccination is available and recorded. Three BTV‑3 vaccines are authorised for use in Great Britain - Bluevac‑3, Bultavo 3 and SYVAZUL BTV 3 - and their use must follow the relevant licensing and reporting rules for your nation. Trade restrictions still apply to vaccinated animals, and you should avoid testing animals for at least seven days after vaccination to prevent interference with monitoring. Talk to your vet about timing and coverage if you are breeding this spring. (gov.uk)

For a full UK and Ireland picture, remember Northern Ireland. DAERA has confirmed five infected premises in County Down as of 28 January 2026 and continues to manage movements in and around the temporary control zone while offering targeted testing support. (daera-ni.gov.uk)

Maps make this teachable. Defra publishes a public case map showing PCR‑positive premises and an interactive zone viewer; these are ideal for practising map skills in class and for keepers planning grazing or sales around local conditions. (experience.arcgis.com)

Knowing what to look for helps you act early. Sheep are more likely to show obvious signs such as mouth ulcers, swelling of the lips or tongue, drooling, fever and lameness; abortions and foetal deformities can occur in ruminants. If you suspect bluetongue, you must report it to APHA immediately - it’s a notifiable disease in England and Wales. (gov.uk)

Quick glossary for your lesson plan: vector season refers to the warmer months when midges are active; PCR is a laboratory test that detects viral genetic material; a restricted zone is an area with movement rules to reduce spread; germinal products are semen, ova and embryos that can carry infection if not controlled. Use these definitions to support discussion and exam practice.

What to do next. Check your holding or study area on the official maps, then review movement plans and breeding work with a vet so vaccination and testing line up with the rules. For classrooms, build a short timeline from January to 5 February 2026 using the official updates, and ask students to explain why risk fell as temperatures dropped - that’s media literacy, science and geography in one go. (gov.uk)