Bluetongue virus restriction zones have been extended throughout the South East of England as more cases of the virus have been discovered. The British government announced on Saturday that “high risk” and “control” zones in the UK have now been expanded to cover the whole of Surrey, West Sussex and Greater London. The development is in line with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ decision to previously extend the zones to cover the entire Kent and East Sussex regions. Consequently, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are included in the new restrictions, along with Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and East Yorkshire.
A spokesperson from the government revealed that the new bluetongue restrictions were occurring due to “the identification of cases close to the edge of the bluetongue restricted zone and in accordance with our policy of seeking to contain and slow the spread of disease”. There are now 95 cases of the virus in the country.
Although bluetongue virus is not threatening to human health, it can cause swollen tongues for animals, deliver reduced birth rates and constrained milk yields. The virus spreads via midges from mainland Europe that are carried over during warm weather. These restrictions are already beginning to affect some farmers in the South East of England.
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