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Guidance

Bluetongue: latest situation

Overview of current bluetongue cases, risk level, vaccinations and restrictions.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published:
31 July 2026
Last updated:
3 October 2026
Show all updates

  1. 67 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 2 October 2026. 24 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales and 2 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland.

  2. 52 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 1 October 2026. 25 new cases were confirmed in Wales.

  3. 78 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 30 September 2026. 21 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales.

  4. 76 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England, 30 new cases in Wales and 1 new case of BTV-3 Scotland on 29 September 2026.

  5. 56 new cases of bluetongue were confirmed in England, 20 in Wales and 1 in Scotland on 28 September.

  6. 62 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 27 September 2026.

  7. 41 new cases of bluetongue were confirmed in England, 12 in Wales and 2 in Scotland on 26 September.

  8. There were 43 new cases of BTV confirmed in England and 26 new cases of BTV-3 in Wales on 25 September 2026.

  9. 48 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 24 September 2026. 23 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales and 2 in Scotland.

  10. 61 new cases of bluetongue were confirmed in England and 17 of BTV-3 in Wales on 23 September 2026.

  11. 53 new cases of bluetongue were confirmed in England and 9 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 22 September 2026.

  12. 58 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 21 September 2026. 11 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales and 2 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland.

  13. 64 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 20 September 2026 and 28 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales.

  14. 48 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 18 September 2026. There were cases in: Cornwall, Devon, Somerset. 48 cases were confirmed as BTV-3. Of these, 35 cases involved sheep and 13 cases involved cattle. All 48 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 13 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 19 September 2026. These cases were in: Carmathenshire, Ceredigion, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, The Vale of Glamorgan Of these cases, 10 involved sheep and 3 involved cattle. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. No new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland on 19 September 2026.

  15. 56 new cases of bluetongue were confirmed in England. There were also 8 new cases confirmed in Wales and one in Scotland.

  16. 64 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 16 September 2026.

  17. 64 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 16 September 2026.

  18. 45 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 15 September 2026.

  19. Forty two new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 14 September 2026.

  20. Forty two new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 14 September 2026.

  21. 38 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 13 September 2026. 6 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales.

  22. 12 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 12 September 2026. There were cases in Cornwall, Devon, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Warwickshire. Of these, 9 cases involved sheep and 3 cases involved cattle. All 12 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 3 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 12 September 2026. There were cases in Carmarthenshire, Powys and Swansea. All 3 cases involved sheep. All 3 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. One case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on 12 September 2026. The case was in Dumfries and Galloway. The case was in sheep and was tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  23. Twenty nine new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England, 5 new cases of were confirmed in Wales and 2 cases confirmed in Scotland on 11 September 2026.

  24. Twenty seven new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 10 September 2026. 3 new cases were confirmed in Wales and 3 in Scotland. Also updated to reflect that private vets can now report suspect cases of bluetongue using our online form.

  25. Thirty three new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 9 September 2026.

  26. Forty two new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 8 September 2026.

  27. Thirty new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 7 September 2026. One new case has been confirmed in Wales.

  28. The bluetongue cases map has been updated to show suspect and confirmed cases of bluetongue. It also shows cattle and sheep population density.

  29. Twenty new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 6 September 2026. Of these, 18 cases involved sheep and 2 cases involved cattle. Twelve new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales. Of these, 11 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle.

  30. Seven new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 5 September 2026. There were cases in Cheshire, Devon, Lancashire and Staffordshire. Of these, 7 cases involved sheep and no cases involved cattle. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Seven new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 5 September 2026. There were cases in Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Vale of Glamorgan. Of these, 6 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All 7 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. No cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland on 5 September 2026. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  31. Thirty-five new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 4 September 2026. There were cases in Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Shropshire, Somerset and Staffordshire. Of these, 30 cases involved sheep and 5 cases involved cattle. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Three new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 4 September 2026. There were cases in Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys. Of these, 1 case involved sheep, 1 involved cattle and 1 had both cattle and sheep affected on the same premises. All 3 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on 4 September 2026. The case was in cattle in Dumfries and Galloway and within the temporary control zone (TCZ). All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  32. Twenty-eight new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 3 September 2026. There were cases in Cheshire, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Devon, Lincolnshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire. Of these, 24 cases involved sheep, 3 cases involved cattle and 1 case involved a goat. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Three new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 3 September 2026. There were cases in Powys and Swansea. Of these, 2 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All 3 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. No new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland on 3 September 2026. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  33. Twenty-six new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 2 September 2026. There were cases in Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Lancashire, Leicestershire, North Yorkshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire. Of these, 24 cases involved sheep and 2 cases involved cattle. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Three new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 2 September 2026. There were cases in Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot. All 3 cases involved sheep and were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on 2 September 2026. This was in Dumfries and Galloway and involved cattle. This case was as the result of a pre-movement test. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  34. Seven new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 1 September 2026. There were cases in Cumbria, Devon, Lancashire, Staffordshire and West Yorkshire. Of these, 6 cases involved sheep and one case involved cattle. Four cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs and 3 cases were as the result of a pre-movement test. Three new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 1 September 2026. There were cases in Carmarthenshire, Powys and Monmouthshire. Of these, one case involved sheep and 2 cases involved cattle. All 3 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Two new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland on 1 September 2026. Both cases were in Dumfries and Galloway, 1 involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. Both cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  35. 23 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 31 August 2026. Of these, 21 cases involved sheep and 2 involved cattle. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 6 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 31 August 2026. Of these, 5 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All 6 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. The list of cases has been updated.

  36. 28 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 30 August 2026. There were cases in Cheshire, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire. Of these, 26 cases involved sheep, one involved cattle and one was a mixed premises with both cattle and sheep affected. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 5 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 30 August 2026. There were cases in Carmarthenshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Vale of Glamorgan. Of these, 3 cases involved sheep and 2 involved cattle.  All 5 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. There were no cases confirmed in Scotland on 30 August. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  37. 14 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 29 August 2026. There were cases in Derbyshire, Dorset, Lancashire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire. Of these, 11 cases involved sheep, 2 involved cattle and one mixed premises. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 5 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 29 August 2026. There were cases in Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Neath Port Talbot and Powys. Of these, 3 cases involved sheep and one involved cattle.  All 5 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. There were no cases confirmed in Scotland on 29 August. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  38. on 28 August, 13 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England, 2 new cases were confirmed in Wales and 4 new cases were confirmed in Scotland. Details of these cases have been added.

  39. No new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 27 August 2026. Twelve new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 27 August 2026. There were cases in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Cardiff, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Powys, Swansea and Wrexham. Of these, 11 cases involved sheep and one involved cattle. Twelve cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs and one case was as the result of a pre-movement test. Two new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland on 27 August 2026. Both were in Dumfries and Galloway, involved sheep and were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  40. 11 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 26 August 2026. There were cases in Staffordshire, Lancashire, Somerset, Dorset, Shropshire, Cheshire East, Herefordshire and Cheshire West and Chester. Of these, 6 cases involved sheep and 7 involved cattle. 9 of the premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs, 2 were as a result of a private test. 9 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 26 August 2026. There were cases Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cardiff, Neath Port Talbot, Monmouthshire, Powys and Caerphilly. Of these, 6 cases involved sheep and 3 involved cattle. 9 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  41. 12 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 25 August 2026. There were cases in Dorset,  Lancashire, Cheshire, Shropshire, Cumbria, Staffordshire and Tameside. Of these, 11 cases involved sheep and1 involved cattle. 8 of the premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs, 3 were as the result of a pre-movement test and 1 was as a result of a private test. 6 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 25 August 2026. There were cases in Powys, Carmarthenshire, Flintshire and Ceredigion. 7 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs and 1 was as the result of a pre-movement test. 2 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland on 25 August 2026. Both cases were in Dumfries and Galloway and were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  42. 7 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 24 August 2026. 6 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle.

  43. Updated 7 new cases of BTV-3 confirmed in England on 25 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 6 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  44. 25 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 23 August 2026. There were cases in Devon, Somerset, Cheshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Worcestershire and Norfolk. Of these, 18 cases involved sheep, 6 involved cattle and one was a mixed farm affecting both cattle and sheep. All the premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 1 new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on 23 August 2026. This case was in Dumfries and Galloway and involved 1 sheep. This premises was tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  45. 29 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 22 August 2026. There were cases in Devon, Somerset, Cheshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire. Of these, 26 cases involved sheep, 2 involved cattle and one was a mixed farm affecting both cattle and sheep. All the premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 8 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 22 August 2026. There were cases in Powys, Monmouthshire, Denbighshire, Vale of Glamorgan, Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire. 5 cases were in sheep and 3 were in cattle. All the premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  46. 19 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 21 August 2026. There were cases in Devon, Cornwall, Herefordshire and West Yorkshire. Of these, 16 cases involved sheep, 3 involved cattle and one was a mixed farm. All the premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 4 new cases of BTV-3 in sheep were confirmed in Wales on 21 August 2026. There were cases in Powys, Wrexham, Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire. All cases were in sheep. All the premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. 2 new cases of BTV-3 in sheep were confirmed in Scotland on 21 August 2026.  Both cases were in Dumfries and Galloway. Both cases were in sheep. Both premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  47. Following confirmation of a fifth case of bluetongue BTV-3 in Scotland, a temporary control zone (TCZ) has been put in place in South West Scotland. 12 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 20 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 7 cases involved sheep, 4 involved cattle and one was a mixed farm. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. 2 new cases of BTV-3 in sheep were confirmed in Powys, Wales on 20 August 2026.  The premises were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  48. 22 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 19 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 20 cases involved sheep and 2 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. 1 new case of BTV-3 in camelids was confirmed in England on 19 August 2026. The animals were tested as part of a voluntary pre-movement test. There were no clinical signs of bluetongue. 1 new case of BTV-3 in sheep was confirmed in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland on 19 August 2026. The premises was tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  49. 19 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 18 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 15 cases involved sheep and 4 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. 1 new case of BTV-3 in cattle was confirmed in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland on 18 August 2026.  The animals were tested as part of epidemiological investigations linked to an earlier case. There were no clinical signs of bluetongue.

  50. 15 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 17 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 12 cases involved sheep and 2 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. 2 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed Powys, Wales on 17 August 2026. Both were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 1 involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  51. 9 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 16 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 8 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. The list in the summary of cases section has also been updated.

  52. 22 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 15 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 21 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. One new cases of BTV-3 was confirmed in Wales on 15 August 2026. The case was confirmed in cattle following reports of suspicious clinical signs. The list of cases has been updated.

  53. 25 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 14 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 22 cases involved sheep and 3 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Lancashire, England on 14 August 2026. 4 sheep tested positive following a non-negative voluntary pre-movement test. 2 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 14 August 2026. Both cases were in sheep and were confirmed following reports of suspicious clinical signs. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on 14 August 2026. The case was in a bovine and was confirmed following reports of suspicious clinical signs. The list of cases has been updated.

  54. Nineteen new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 13 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 18 cases involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Derbyshire, England on 13 August 2026. The case was in a sheep and was confirmed following a non-negative voluntary pre-movement test. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Ceredigion, Wales on 13 August 2026. The case was in a bovine and was confirmed following a non-negative voluntary pre-movement test. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on 13 August 2026. The case was in a sheep and was confirmed following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  55. Eighteen new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 12 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 16 cases involved sheep and 2 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Wales on 12 August 2026. The case was in a sheep and was confirmed following reports of suspicious clinical signs. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on 12 August 2026. The case was in a sheep and was confirmed following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  56. Seventeen new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 11 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 14 cases involved sheep, 2 involved cattle, and 1 was on a mixed farm with both sheep and cattle being affected. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in cattle in England on 11 August 2026, following a non-negative voluntary pre-movement test. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Wales on 11 August 2026. The case was in a sheep and was confirmed following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  57. Forty-two new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 10 August 2026. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 39 cases involved sheep and 3 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in cattle in England on 10 August 2026, following a non-negative voluntary pre-movement test. Two new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 10 August 2026. Both cases were in sheep and were confirmed following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

  58. 7 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 9 August 2026, all were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. All 7 cases involved sheep and they presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  59. Fifty-one new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 7 August 2026, all were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 45 cases involved sheep and 6 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  60. Thirty-one new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 6 August 2026, all were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 30 cases involved sheep and 3 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Wales on 6 August 2026, the case was in a sheep that was tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. The sheep presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  61. Fifty-three new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 5 August 2026, all were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs. Of these, 50 cases involved sheep and 3 involved cattle. All cases presented with clinical signs typical of those seen in recent cases.

  62. Twenty-nine new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 4 August 2026 following reports of suspicious clinical signs: - 1 adult sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including fever, lethargy, nasal discharge and swelling around the muzzle - 1 ram in Devon with clinical signs including depression, lethargy, fever, swelling around the lips and crusty nose - 2 lambs in Devon with clinical signs including lameness, drooling and swelling around muzzle and jaw - 1 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, nasal discharge and lameness - 1 ewe in Devon with clinical signs including fever, lethargy, weakness, swollen face and crusty nose - 1 ewe in Devon with clinical signs including fever, oral lesions, swollen lips and crusty nose - 3 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including swollen face, bloody nasal discharge, swollen face, erosions on tongue and lameness - 3 sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including oral lesions, crusty nose, lameness, swollen heads, bloody nasal discharge, swollen face, erosions on tongue and lameness. Two of the 3 tested have died. Keeper reports 17 others with similar clinical signs (not tested) of these 10 have died - 2 ewes in Devon with clinical signs including lethargy, lameness, drooling, nasal discharge and gum lesions - 3 sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including fever, increased breathing rate, swollen lips, nasal discharge and lethargy - 3 sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including fever, lethargy, swollen heads, nasal discharge and crusting around the nose - 1 ram and 1 ewe in Cornwall found dead after unwell over the weekend - 3 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, swollen face, ulcers in mouth, crusting around nose, one cannot stand and one has a stiff gait - 3 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, swollen face, drooling and ulcers in mouth. Approximately 10 sheep with similar clinical signs (not tested) have died - some cattle on the farm have also been affected - 1 ram in Devon with clinical signs including fever, swelling around mouth and greyish colour of lining of mouth found dead after unwell over the weekend - 1 sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including nasal discharge, lameness, swelling around mouth and coronary bands and increased breathing rate - 3 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including drooling, lethargy, swelling on lips and jaw and crusting around muzzle - 1 cow in Staffordshire with swollen head, raised temperature and increased salivation - 3 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, lethargy, unable to stand. Drooling, frothing at mouth, swelling of face, lameness and erosions of tongue and lips - 2 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, lameness, swollen vulva, and swollen painful gums - 3 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, drooling, swelling of face, ulcers in mouth and nasal discharge - 3 sheep in Somerset with clinical signs including crusty nose, nasal discharge, lesions on lips and dental pad, skin redness in some animals - 1 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including lethargy, nasal discharge and mild lameness - 4 rams in Devon with depression but no other signs - 2 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including lethargy, crusting around the nose, swelling around lips and lameness - 3 sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including fever, drooling, swelling faces and nasal discharge - 1 suckler cow in Cornwall with clinical signs including fever, drooling, reddening around the eyes and weeping eyes - 3 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, crusty noses, teeth grinding, cloudy eyes, drooling and mouth ulcers - 2 sheep in Devon with clinical signs including fever, intermittent lameness, swollen face and mouth ulcers

  63. Nine new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 3 August 2026 following reports of suspicious clinical signs: - 3 cattle in Devon with clinical signs including lethargy, fever, runny eyes, discharge from nostrils and ulcers in mouth, tested positive for BTV-3. A further 3 animals and 4 dairy heifers also showing similar clinical signs - 1 adult ewe in Cornwall with clinical signs including reluctance to stand, off food, swelling and crusting of the muzzle, swelling and redness in mouth and ulcer on lower lip, tested positive for BTV-3. - 3 sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including fever, swollen head, stiffness, swelling around coronary bands, crusting around nose and ulceration of the tongue, tested positive for BTV-3. - 1 cow and 1 calf in Somerset with clinical signs including nasal discharge, runny eyes, lameness and crusting around the nose, tested positive for BTV-3. - 1 ewe in Cornwall with clinical signs including depression, fever, lameness, swelling of head and coronary bands and off food, tested positive for BTV-3. - 1 ewe in Cornwall with clinical signs including depression, drooling, swelling of head, erosions on the tongue and lips and pain around coronary bands, tested positive for BTV-3. - 3 adult sheep in Cornwall with clinical signs including lethargy, swelling of face, lameness and one has an ulcer on the tongue, tested positive for BTV-3. - 3 adult cattle in Somerset with clinical signs including lameness, frothing at mouth, crusting around the eyes and 1 animal has an ulcer in mouth, tested positive for BTV-3. - 2 suckler cows in Somerset with clinical signs including lameness, frothing at mouth and crusty noses, tested positive for BTV-3.

  64. Ten new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England on 31 July 2026 following reports of suspicious clinical signs. One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in England on 31 July 2026 following a non-negative private pre-movement test.

  65. First published.

Be vigilant for signs of bluetongue and report it if you suspect it.

Total number of confirmed cases (premises)

There have been 2,579 cases of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) or unspecified serotype in the UK in the 2026 to 2027 bluetongue season. A case is defined as a premises on which bluetongue has been confirmed, based on risk and following laboratory or clinical diagnosis. This includes:

  • 2,098 cases in England
  • 438 cases in Wales
  • 43 cases in Scotland
  • 0 cases in Northern Ireland

There have been no cases of bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV-8) in the 2026 to 2027 bluetongue season.

The bluetongue case map shows the location of all premises in Great Britain where one or more animals have tested positive by PCR for bluetongue or have been confirmed based on clinical diagnosis.

Latest updates

2 October 2026

England

67 new cases of BTV were confirmed in England on 2 October 2026.

There were cases in:

  • Cheshire
  • Cornwall
  • Cumbria
  • Derbyshire
  • Devon
  • Dorset
  • Hampshire
  • Herefordshire
  • Lancashire
  • North Yorkshire
  • Shropshire
  • Somerset
  • Staffordshire
  • West Yorkshire

48 cases were confirmed as BTV-3. Of these, 29 cases involved sheep and 18 cases involved cattle and 1 case involved goats. All 48 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

18 cases were confirmed by sample as BTV serotype unknown. Of these, 14 cases involved sheep and 4 cases involved cattle. All 17 cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

1 cases was confirmed on clinical grounds. This involved cattle.

Read more in the press brief from 11 September 2026: Government steps up bluetongue response

Wales

24 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on 2 October 2026. These cases were in:

  • Carmarthenshire
  • Ceredigion
  • Conwy
  • Denbighshire
  • Flintshire
  • Gwynedd
  • Isle of Anglesey
  • Merthyr Tydfil
  • Monmouthshire
  • Neath Port Talbot
  • Pembrokeshire
  • Powys
  • Rhondda Cynon Taf
  • Swansea
  • The Vale of Glamorgan

All Of these, 16 cases involved sheep, 7 involved cattle and 1 involved goats. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs

Scotland

2 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Scotland on 2 October 2026. These cases were in:

  • Aberdeenshire
  • Dumfries and Galloway

Of these, 1 case involved sheep and 1 involved cattle. All were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs

Ongoing investigations

There are currently 890 potential cases of bluetongue under investigation in Great Britain. These are premises that have reported suspicious clinical signs and where the keeper has not yet received the test results.

Private vets can now report suspect cases of bluetongue using our online form. Find out how to spot and report the disease.

The bluetongue cases map has been updated to show suspect and confirmed cases of bluetongue. It also shows cattle and sheep population density.

Summary of confirmed cases

Cases (number of premises) by county or local authority

England

10 July to midnight 2 October 2026 

County Number of cases (and change since last update)
Bristol 1
Buckinghamshire 1
Cheshire 51 (+1)
Cornwall 280 (+7)
Cumbria 58 (+1)
Derbyshire 44 (+1)
Devon 1,005 (+30)
Dorset 65 (+2)
Durham 1
East Riding of Yorkshire 5
Gloucestershire 5
Greater Manchester 13
Hampshire 4 (+2)
Herefordshire 17 (+3)
Isle of Wight 2
Kent 1
Lancashire 108 (+5)
Leicestershire 6
Lincolnshire 2
Merseyside 1
Norfolk 2
Northamptonshire 2
Northumberland 1
North Yorkshire 54 (+4)
Nottinghamshire 3
Oxfordshire 2 (+1)
Rutland 2
Shropshire 27 (+1)
Somerset 216 (+6)
South Yorkshire 3
Staffordshire 79 (+2)
Warwickshire 3
West Midlands (Solihull) 1
West Yorkshire 22 (+1)
Wiltshire 16
Worcestershire 5
Total 2,098 (+66)

See our bluetongue cases map. 

Wales

Local authority Number of cases (and change since last update)
Bridgend (Peny bont ar Ogwr) 14
Caerphilly (Caerffili) 6 (+1)
Cardiff (Caerdydd) 2
Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin) 76 (+2)
Ceredigion (Sir Ceredigion) 27 (+2)
Conwy (Conwy) 19 (+1)
Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych) 10
Flintshire (Sir y Fflint) 7 (+1)
Gwynedd (Gwynedd) 37 (+2)
Isle of Anglesey (Sir Ynys Mon) 5 (+2)
Merthyr Tydfil (Merthyr Tydful) 1 (+1)
Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy) 17 (+1)
Neath Port Talbot (Castell need Port Talbot) 16 (+1)
Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro) 63 (+4)
Powys (Powys) 75 (+2)
Rhondda Cynon Taf (Rhondda Cynon Taf) 15 (+1)
Swansea (Abertawe) 19 (+1)
Torfaen (Tor-faen) 2
Vale of Glamorgan (Bro Morgannwg) 22 (+2)
Wrexham (Wrecsam) 4
Total 438 (+24)

Scotland

County Number of cases (and change since last update)
Aberdeenshire 3 (+1)
Angus 1
Dumfries and Galloway 38 (+1)
South Lanarkshire 1
Total 43 (+2)

Species involved 

The following species have test positive for bluetongue since 1 July 2026:

  • sheep (including ewes, rams and lambs)
  • cattle (including cows, heifers and calves)
  • alpaca
  • llama
  • goat
  • deer
  • bison

Method of detection

How detected Number of premises
Report of suspicious clinical signs 2,529
Voluntary pre-movement test 24
Export testing 1
Germinal product testing 4
Surveillance and tracings 2
Fertility testing 1
Private test (reason unknown) 10

Method of confirmation

Laboratory (BTV-3) Laboratory (BTV-unspecified) Clinical (BTV-unspecified)
England 1,881 176 41
Wales 438 0 0
Scotland 43 0 0

2025 to 2026 season

See historical cases for earlier cases.

Wellbeing support for animal keepers

See our list of organisations offering wellbeing support to those in the farming community.

Apply for funding for a vet visit

If you are a livestock keeper in England, you can apply for a vet to visit your farm and give expert advice to help protect your livestock. During the visit, vets will advise on bluetongue risks and how to reduce them and check your animals for signs of disease.

Risk level

The risk of bluetongue virus incursion from:

  • all routes – is medium (occurs regularly)
  • airborne routes – is low (event is rare, but could occur)

This includes serotypes that are not currently circulating in England.

The midges that spread bluetongue became active again on 31 March 2026.

Temperatures are still consistently high enough in many parts of the UK and nearby continental Europe for the virus to develop inside the midges. This means onward transmission is now occurring. There is some bluetongue circulating in northern Europe and there remains a low risk of transmission from infected midges blown across the Channel. Animals can also get infected through germinal products (semen, ova or embryos).

Control zones

There are bluetongue restricted zones across the whole of England, Scotland and Wales.

From 00:01 3 September 2026 the Scottish restricted zone was expanded to cover the whole of Scotland.

You can check the restricted zones using the bluetongue zone map.

England: country-wide restricted zone

The whole of England is in a bluetongue restricted zone. You can move animals within England without a specific bluetongue licence or pre-movement testing.

You need a specific licence to freeze germinal products (semen, ova and embryo) anywhere in England and testing is required. Keepers are responsible for the cost of sampling, postage and testing. There is more detail in the declaration.

Read the details of the restricted zone in England.

Wales: country-wide restricted zone

An all-Wales restricted zone was introduced on 10 November 2025. This has the following effects:

  • free movement of livestock – livestock movements between England and Wales do not require bluetongue vaccination or mitigation measures
  • restrictions on germinal products – you must test donor animals before freezing and marketing germinal products, as this provides quality assurance and reduces the risk of longer-term bluetongue transmission

Scotland: restricted zone

An all-Scotland restricted zone was introduced on 3 October 2026.

Livestock keepers must follow the movement controls on animals and germinal products and apply for a licence where needed. Check the bluetongue case map and GOV.SCOT for more information.

Moving animals and animal products

Find out about:

Vaccination and biosecurity

Find out about:

Livestock identification and movement rules

Find out about:

Contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) if you keep camelids (such as llamas or alpacas) or you’re unsure about the rules.

Importing animals and animal products

Check the rules on imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products.

Latest GOV.UK press release

Webinars, leaflets, videos and posters

Watch recordings of bluetongue webinars.

Find leaflets, videos and posters about bluetongue.

Defra’s bluetongue control strategy

Defra controls cases of bluetongue by following the Bluetongue: disease control framework in England.

Historical cases

The first cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) of the 2026 to 2027 outbreak season was confirmed on 10 July 2026.

2025 to 2026 outbreak season (1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026)

There were 348 cases of bluetongue in Great Britain in the 2025 to 2026 bluetongue season. In:

  • England, there were 324 cases of bluetongue – including 311 cases of only BTV-3, 5 cases of only BTV-8, 7 cases with both BTV-3 and BTV-8 and 1 case of BTV (serotype unknown)
  • Wales, there have been 24 cases of BTV-3
  • There were no cases in Scotland

These cases were confirmed between 11 July 2025 and 23 June 2026.

There were 5 confirmed cases of BTV-3 in Northern Ireland.

2024 to 2025 outbreak season (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025)

Defra confirmed 160 BTV-3 cases in England and 2 from high risk moves in Wales. One case of bluetongue virus serotype 12 (BTV-12) was confirmed in England on 7 February 2025 Giving a total of 163 cases.

These cases were confirmed between 26 August 2024 and 31 May 2025.

2023 to 2024 outbreak season (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025)

Between 10 November 2023 and 3 March 2024 Defra confirmed 126 BTV-3 cases in England on 73 premises (119 cattle and 7 sheep). These BTV-3 cases were the first UK BTV incursions for over 15 years. 

Prior to these cases the last confirmed outbreak of bluetongue was an outbreak of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8), which took place over 2007 to 2008.

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