Dutch bluetongue cases accelerating: official

Cases of bluetongue, a viral disease affecting sheep and cows, have shot up in the Netherlands according to official figures published Thursday, as the virus spreads also in France and Germany.

Bluetongue was registered at 3,807 locations in the Netherlands, a rise of nearly 1,000 since the last report on Monday, according to the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature.

That was the fastest half-week rise since the virus was first reported in the country in September. The last time the virus appeared in the Netherlands before that was in 2009.

Just a month ago, there were only around 100 locations reporting bluetongue.

Bluetongue is a non-contagious, insect-borne viral disease that affects ruminants such as sheep and cows but not pigs or horses. It is difficult to control once it takes hold.

The virus is not a risk to humans, but in animals it causes high fevers, mouth ulcers and swollen heads.

Symptoms also include excessive salivation, the swelling of lips, tongue, and jaw, and the loss of offspring for pregnant animals, in proportions varying from farm to farm.

Germany has registered 1,885 outbreaks since the start of 2024, officials said on Tuesday, compared to just 23 in the whole of 2023.

France has announced a vaccination campaign in a bid to nip the virus in the bud in the country, which is beginning to see the first cases.