Bluetongue virus has been detected in another 900 places since Monday 

The bluetongue virus has now been detected in 3,807 places in the Netherlands. This was reported by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. The virus has been detected in another 898 locations since last Monday’s report. This is the quickest increase in half a week since the virus resurfaced in the Netherlands last month.

Animals are mainly being infected at farming companies in Twente and the Achterhoek. The virus has also often been detected in Noord-Brabant and Limburg. Bluetongue is also spreading quickly in other parts of the country.

Bluetongue is only dangerous for animals. The virus causes a blue tongue, high fevers, and swellings in cattle. Sheep are especially at risk of getting very sick and possibly dying of the virus. The disease is often less severe in goats and cattle.

Many animals were vaccinated against bluetongue in the autumn. According to an initial analysis by the Royal GD Health Service, infections are now somewhat milder than last year.

Researcher Piet van Rijn of Wageningen University has said that farmers should give their sheep, goats, cows, and alpacas two vaccinations against the virus. The second vaccine should be given four to five weeks after the first injection so that the animals are better and more protected for a longer time.

Although cows hardly get sick from the virus, Van Rijn advises that they be vaccinated anyway due to the possible spread of the virus. According to him, cows are “an important virus reservoir.” The virus is spread by midges, tiny biting flies that can pick up bluetongue when biting cows and then transmit it to other animals.

Livestock farmers want compensation for the costs of vaccines against the bluetongue virus. They asked Minister of Agriculture Femke Wiersma to make use of European support possibilities, the agricultural organization LTO Nederland reported, but they have yet to mention the amount of money that the farmers would want.