Bluetongue virus confirmed on County Down farm

The first case of Bluetongue in Northern Ireland this season has been confirmed on a farm in Kilkeel, County Down.

Officials from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said the virus had been detected in three sheep.

There will be no additional movement restrictions or disease control zones, because the virus has been present in Northern Ireland since November 2025.

The minister, Andrew Muir, said the discovery of the virus was "disappointing but not unexpected", given the spread of the disease in Great Britain and Ireland.

The Chief Veterinary Officer, Brian Dooher, urged local farmers to be alert to any symptoms in their livestock.

The confirmation of the virus in Kilkeel comes after more than 100 cases across the Republic of Ireland in recent months.

Cases in England have been increasing, with 2,950 now confirmed.

There have been 512 cases in Wales and 57 in Scotland.

本文の著作権はBBCにあります。