News story

Bluetongue: latest situation

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

Contents:

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

Latest updates

3 August 2025

One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed on 3 August 2025.

One ram lamb in Staffordshire was confirmed positive following a report of suspicious clinical signs.

25 July 2025

One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed on 25 July 2025.

One ram in Wiltshire was confirmed positive following a report of suspicious clinical signs. The sheep had nasal discharge, a sore swollen mouth with ulcers and generalised facial swelling. No fever was reported.

1 July 2025

The restricted zone for bluetongue has been extended to cover all of England. You can now move animals within England without a specific bluetongue licence or pre-movement testing.

You will need a specific licence to freeze germinal products (semen, ova and embryo) anywhere in England and testing will be required. Keepers will be responsible for the cost of sampling, postage and testing. Further detail can be found in the declaration.

Check the guidance on:

Total number of cases

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain for the 2025 to 2026 vector season (since July 2025) is 8. All cases have been in England.

The location of all premises in Great Britain where one or more animals have tested positive by PCR to bluetongue serotype 3 or serotype 12 is available on the bluetongue case map.

Read the details of each case.

Risk level

The risk of transmission via infected midges is now considered to be very high in England and most of Great Britain.

Control zones

Check if you’re in a zone on the bluetongue zone map.

Read the details of each zone.

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.

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

Updates to this page

Published 4 August 2025