23 Sept 2025
Seven new infections in Cornwall, plus one in neighbouring Devon, have been confirmed in recent days, prompting a new appeal for vigilance.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Farmers in Devon and Cornwall have been urged to be cautious following a spate of confirmed bluetongue cases in the region over recent days.
Latest available figures show 58 BTV-3 incidents have been detected across England since the current vector season began in July.
But seven cases have been confirmed in Cornwall alone, plus one in Devon, in the period between last Wednesday, 17 September, and yesterday.
The trend has been highlighted in the latest APHA update on the virus, which said: “There have recently been several BTV-3 cases in Devon and Cornwall.
“All keepers must remain vigilant for the clinical signs and report suspicions to the APHA.”
The update, issued yesterday afternoon, also urged farmers to discuss bluetongue vaccination with their private vets.
The Devon and Cornwall cases account for more than a third of the 19 individual detection incidents that have been reported across England since last Wednesday.
The other areas where cases have been confirmed include Cheshire, Derbyshire, East Sussex, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire and West Yorkshire.
But while the overall risk of bluetongue transmission is still considered to be “very high”, officials believe falling temperatures in recent weeks is helping to reduce the threat of further incursions and vector-based transmission, despite regional variations.
Latest assessments describe the risk of onward spread from vectors as high in East Anglia and the south-east, medium in the south-west and north-east and low in eastern counties of Scotland.
So far this season, all the confirmed BTV-3 cases have been recorded in England, while the overall risk of bluetongue incursion including strains that are not already circulating in England, remains medium.
