Britain:Britain's deputy chief veterinary officer yesterday confirmed an outbreak of bluetongue livestock virus in England, the second major cattle disease to hit the country this year.
"I can now confirm we do have bluetongue virus circulating in this country," Fred Landeg told a news conference.
The news was a major setback for Britain's livestock sector, still reeling over an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in August which led to an EU ban on British exports of fresh meat, live animals and dairy products.
Britain reported its first case of bluetongue ever last weekend in Suffolk, eastern England and several subsequent cases have since been confirmed.
"This news is not unexpected, but it will still come as a bitter blow to farmers across a large swathe of eastern England, who now face the prospect of movement restrictions stretching on for many months into the future," Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said in a statement.
Britain has imposed livestock movement controls to try to slow its spread and Mr Landeg said the virus, which is carried by midges, will be difficult to eradicate.
"I suspect the control measures will be in place for a long time . . . Unless we have a very severe winter it is likely, given the northern European experience that the disease will re-emerge next year," he said.