Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many confirmed cases of blue tongue there has been in the last 24 months.

The first cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) of the current outbreak (2025/2026 vector season) were confirmed on the 11 July 2025. As of 5 December 2025, there have been 238 cases of bluetongue in GB since July 2025, with 223 cases in England and 15 cases in Wales.

Prior to this, Defra confirmed 160 BTV-3 cases in England and 2 in Wales between 26 August 2024 and 31 May 2025. One case of bluetongue virus serotype 12 (BTV-12) was confirmed in England on 7 February 2025.

Between November 2023 and March 2024 Defra confirmed 126 BTV-3 cases in England.