Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) remained the main animal-health signal in north-western Europe during the final week of September 2026. Great Britain continued to report a very large number of affected premises, Ireland confirmed six additional cases and further geographical spread, while France recorded far fewer outbreaks than during the previous season. The European picture remains heterogeneous, with several serotypes circulating in different regions.
Great Britain: transmission remains intense
Great Britain is currently experiencing one of the most active BTV-3 situations in Europe.
By 1 October, 2,408 premises had been affected by BTV-3 or an as-yet unspecified bluetongue serotype during the 2026–2027 season. The most recent daily update included 78 additional cases in England. The scale of transmission during September has been particularly striking, with repeated daily notifications involving dozens of new holdings. Sheep and cattle remain the main species affected, and many recent investigations have followed reports of clinical signs rather than routine surveillance.
Scotland is also adapting its control strategy. From 3 October, the bluetongue restricted zone is being extended to cover the whole of Scotland, replacing the more limited zone previously centred on the south-west.
Ireland: six new cases and further geographical spread
Ireland confirmed six new bluetongue cases on 1 October, with detections now also reported in Dublin, Waterford and Roscommon. BTV-3 had already been detected earlier in 2026 in Wicklow, Kildare, Louth, Laois, Monaghan, Cork and Tipperary, with additional cases reported during September in Wexford, Wicklow, Kildare and Louth.
According to the Irish Department of Agriculture, cattle have so far been more frequently affected than sheep. Clinical signs reported in infected animals include crusting around the nose, excessive salivation, oral ulcers, lacrimation, lameness and lesions of the teats.
The latest detections show that BTV-3 circulation is continuing to expand geographically across Ireland rather than remaining confined to the first affected counties.
France: 1,027 BTV-3 outbreaks by 24 September
France presents a markedly different epidemiological picture. According to the French Ministry of Agriculture update published on 25 September, 1,027 BTV-3 outbreaks had been reported since 1 June 2026. The accompanying national map is dated 24 September 2026. This remains far below the previous season. Between 1 June 2025 and 1 June 2026, France recorded 7,606 BTV-3 outbreaks, while 10,813 had been reported between the first French detection in August 2024 and June 2025.
The contrast is even greater for BTV-8. Only one BTV-8 outbreak had been recorded since 1 June 2026, compared with 3,342 outbreaks during the preceding 12-month period. BTV-4 has not been detected in mainland France since 2018, and no BTV-4 outbreak had been recorded in Corsica in 2026.
France currently considers BTV-3, BTV-4 and BTV-8 enzootic, meaning outbreaks must still be notified but no longer automatically trigger specific domestic movement restrictions. Conditions continue to apply to intra-European trade and exports.
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