In a report released yesterday, the AHVLA announced that the number of Schmallenberg virus cases has risen again.

There are now 40 confirmed cases of Schmallenberg virus from farms in the UK. Affected counties are Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and Hertfordshire. AHVLA confirmed 11 new cases in the last week, as lambing has led to more cases coming to light. Experts have said that it is likely more cases will come to light as lambing and calving progresses.

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Schmallenberg was first identified last summer in Germany; its presence has since been confirmed on livestock farms in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The disease affects ruminants, mostly sheep which show no symptoms, though if a pregnant animal is affected, it can cause spontaneous abortion, still birth and congenital abnormalities at birth.

The disease affects all ruminants; there remains just one case in cattle in the UK. SBV has led to a number of countries, including Russia, India and Mexico introducing bans on certain animal products from infected countries in recent weeks.  

As SBV has only recently been discovered, little is currently known about the disease, though scientific institutes in all infected countries, as well as other member states, including Italy, are cooperating to share information and build up a clearer picture. There is not thought to be a risk to humans from the virus, but those handling animals have been advised to take appropriate precautions.

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