A total of 73 bluetongue cases have been confirmed in the UK since the start of the 2026/2027 season on July 1, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Defra stated that 69 of these cases were detected in England, while the remaining four outbreaks were identified in Wales, with all testing positive for the BTV-3 strain following reports of animals displaying suspicious clinical signs.

The first confirmed case of the new bluetongue season was identified in Staffordshire on July 10, involving a ewe presenting with head swelling, drooling, crusty nostrils and lameness.

Since then, the number of confirmed cases has steadily increased, with Devon and Somerset currently emerging as the main hotspots for infection.

Of the 73 cases detected so far, 47 have involved sheep, 25 have involved cattle, while one case involved both cattle and sheep on the same holding.

Bluetongue

According to Defra, the most commonly clinical signs caused by bluetongue include: fever; lethargy; facial swelling; excessive salvation; crusting around the muzzle and nostrils; nasal discharge; and ulceration of the mouth and tongue.

Several cattle have also experienced reduced milk yields, reddening of the teats and udder, swollen coronary bands, and difficulty walking.

One flock in Devon recorded clinical signs in around 10% of its sheep, with six ewes and lambs dying as a result, while other farms in Somerset and Cornwall also reported deaths among infected sheep.

Congenital abnormalities have also been recorded, including blind calves in Cheshire and a heifer in the Vale of Glamorgan that tested positive following a series of abortions within the farm's herd.

UK

There have been no cases of bluetongue detected in Northern Ireland and Scotland so far.

During the last bluetongue season, which ran from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, Defra stated that there were 353 cases in the UK:

England - 324 cases;
Wales - 24 cases;
Northern Ireland - 5 cases.

There were also no confirmed cases in Scotland during the last bluetongue season.

The current bluetongue season will run until June 30, 2027.