INFORMATION BULLETIN
Date: 8 February 2008
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
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Extension of Bluetongue restricted zones
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) today confirmed changes to the Bluetongue Protection and Surveillance Zones, following confirmation of disease on premises within the current zones.
In accordance with the UK Bluetongue Control Strategy and EU legislation, two cases inside the Protection Zone require the zones to be extended further into Surrey and Cambridgeshire. A single case found in the Surveillance Zone has required the establishment of a separate Protection Zone in North and West London and into Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
The infected animals were found as a result of pre-movement testing currently required to move animals out of zones in the vector-free period.
All evidence suggests that these animals were infected before the vector-free period commenced.
Further similar cases may be expected in the coming weeks.
Further information
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Page published: 8 February 2008 16:35