Jersey has been declared free of Bluetongue virus after five years. The island’s chief veterinary officer today announced the European Commission had granted disease-free status.   

The bluetongue virus, which is spread by biting midges and affects goats, sheep and cattle, had previously been confined to Southern Europe, but moved north in 2006 and 2007.

Mainland Britain was declared Bluetongue-free in July last year following a vaccination programme which began after the disease was detected in the country in 2007.

Although the surrounding states had all reported cases of Bluetongue virus, there had not been a confirmed case on Jersey, however, chief vet Linda Lowseck said that international recognition of the island’s disease-free status would prove beneficial.  

However, livestock on Jersey have been infected with the recently discovered Schmallenberg virus. In total there are four confirmed cases of SBV on the Channel Islands. The novel disease, discovered last year in Germany, is transmitted by biting insects in a similar manner to bluetongue. It causes flu like symptoms in infected animals, though infection during pregnancy can result foetal damage, including congenital abnormalities, spontaneous abortion and stillbirth.

In the UK there are currently 267 farms with confirmed cases; of these, 45 are in cattle and 219 in sheep and three farms have reported infections in sheep and cattle.

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