A suspect case of bluetongue is being investigated at a premises near Portavogie, Co. Down.
Preliminary results from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) have indicated the presence of bluetongue virus, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
“Samples will be sent to the UK National Reference Laboratory Pirbright for confirmatory testing,” DAERA said on Friday (January 23).
“The case was initially detected as a result of samples taken for pre-movement testing on high-risk animals at the premises.”
DAERA said this is the first suspect case of bluetongue virus detected since it was officially confirmed at the fourth infected premises in Co. Down on December 19, 2025.
The emergence of this latest suspect case does not require an extension to the temporary control zone which is currently in place, the department added.
Bluetongue in Wexford
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon confirmed today (January 24) that an outbreak of bluetongue has been detected in Co. Wexford.
This is the first confirmed case in the Republic of Ireland.
He said in a statement: “My department has detected a bovine infected with bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) in a herd in Co. Wexford.
“This is unwelcome news but unfortunately it is not surprising, given the spread of this virus across Europe, Great Britain and recently Northern Ireland.
“Firstly, I want to emphasise that bluetongue cannot infect people and does not pose any food safety or human health issue.
“This finding arose from the routine ongoing surveillance my department has been carrying out, so that we can find the disease as early as possible.”
