There are currently 2,462 potential cases of bluetongue under investigation in Great Britain.

These are premises that have reported suspicious clinical signs.

A total of 825 cases of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) have been confirmed in the UK to date in the 2026/2027 bluetongue season.

These figures were shared by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency as part of their latest update today (Thursday, September 3).

A case is defined as a premises on which at least one bluetongue positive animal has been confirmed.

This includes:

720 cases in England;
85 cases in Wales;
20 cases in Scotland;
0 cases in Northern Ireland.

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

Where animals with suspect clinical signs are reported, Defra funds the cost of diagnostic testing for up to three affected animals.

Updates by country

A total of 26 new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in England yesterday (September 2).

Of these, 24 cases involved sheep and two cases involved cattle. All cases were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

Three new cases of BTV-3 were confirmed in Wales on September 2.

All three cases involved sheep and were tested following reports of suspicious clinical signs.

One new case of BTV-3 was confirmed in Scotland on September 2.

This was in Dumfries and Galloway and involved cattle. This case was as the result of a pre-movement test.

No cases have been confirmed to date in Northern Ireland in the 2026/2027 bluetongue season.

Burnham and bluetongue

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andy Burnham was questioned on the bluetongue issue in the House of Commons by Liberal Democrats MP Tim Farron on Tuesday (September 1).

The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale described the UK bluetongue situation as “an animal welfare disaster, a human tragedy and a farm business nightmare”.

He asked Prime Minister Burnham if he will make “tackling of bluetongue and the delivery of vaccines immediately an urgent priority for him and his government”.

The prime minister replied that he has heard concerns about the availability of a vaccine and the time it was taking for farms to access it.

“So I am aware of the issue,” he said, adding that he intends to seek an update from the Defra secretary, Angela Eagle.