Bluetongue 'brought by midges'

Two sheep from one flock have died from bluetongue disease

The recent UK bluetongue outbreak was probably triggered by infected midges brought from continental Europe to East Anglia, an official report has said.

The government's first epidemiology report said the disease was most likely introduced to the UK on 4 August.

As of 19 October, 60 premises had been affected by bluetongue, the majority with only one infected animal.

Meanwhile, new movement restrictions are being introduced in Cambridgeshire after a second case was confirmed.

Cattle grazing near Pymoor just outside Ely have been affected, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed on Tuesday.

Another case of the disease was identified in Peterborough earlier this month.

A new control zone has been put in place around the latest case. The wider control zone now includes parts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambs, Northants, Kent and Sussex.

Animals in this area can only be taken out of the zone if they are to go directly for slaughter.

Low death rate

The Defra report says bluetongue was probably introduced to Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex on the night of the 4 August by "windborne transmission of infected midges".

The department is still investigating whether midges from Europe were also responsible for later cases in Kent and East Sussex, having ruled out transmission by animal movement within the UK.

So far, 17 cattle herds and eight sheep flocks have shown clinical signs of the disease.

A further 22 cattle herds have been found to be infected, but did not show clinical symptoms.

Two sheep in one flock have died.

The report says the incidence of bluetongue within an affected herd is low - on average less than 10% of animals are infected.

The death rate is also low among animals who contract it.

Defra said that that surveillance and testing would continue in an effort to gain greater understanding of the extent of the infection and the risks within herds and flocks.