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	va1-sg19016.securesites.net

	version=3.1.8



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[1]





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Since 22 Sep 2007, laboratory tests have detected the presence of 

Bluetongue in a small number of animals on a number of different 

premises in Suffolk. These premises are all under restrictions and 

the infected animals have been culled. Defra confirmed on 28 Sep 2007 

that Bluetongue disease is circulating between the local animal and 

midge population in East Anglia.



As at 5pm on 5 Oct 2007 there were 26 confirmed premises affected by 

to Friday). The cases of bluetongue remain within the Bluetongue 

Control Zone and are located in a cluster in the Ipswich area, with 

further cases just over the Essex border and near Lowestoft.



- Mod.AS].



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[A continuous spread of the virus in south-eastern England is 

expected during the coming weeks. It remains to see if the disease 

will subside during the winter months.



During the meeting of EU's SCFCAH (Standing Committee on the Food 

Chain and Animal Health), section "Animal Health and Animal Welfare", 

held in Brussels earlier this week (3-4 Oct 2007), the UK delegation 

1st October". It included, among others, data on herd prevalence, 

namely 0.5 - 10.0 percent. Unfortunately, no case fatality data, in 

the various affected species, were included. The report is available 

at 

See also the following article. - Mod. AS].



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[2]





The EC Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health 

(SCFCAH), section "Animal Health and Animal Welfare", held a meeting 

in Brussels earlier this week (3-4 Oct 2007). Separate presentations 

presented by the following countries (in brackets, affected 

Luxembourg (940) and Netherlands (5051). The UK presentation was 

discussed in item 1 above.



Subscribers are encouraged to visit the above URL and download the 

presentations, which include interesting data on the geography and 

epidemiology of the BTV-8 epizootic, laboratory findings and 

entomological observations. Interestingly, the German presentation 

mentions, in addition to the outbreaks in sheep (5627) and cattle 

mouflons (5), fallow-deer (2) and deer (probably red deer, 2).



Unfortunately, the various countries have not included information on 

the herd prevalence of the infection or disease, nor on the case 

fatality rate in the various affected species. Number of mortalities 

are included in the Luxembourg report.



Hopefully, the EC will collect such data and make them publicly available.



The website includes also presentations from Portugal and Spain on 

their respective BT situations.



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....................arn/ejp/mpp