Since 1 August this year, bluetongue (BTV serotype 3) has been on the rise in Luxembourg. The Veterinary and Food Administration (Alva) announced on Wednesday that 658 animals had tested positive for the disease. “Among them, there are 514 cattle, 136 sheep and eight goats,” states a press release. Compared to the 492 infected animals previously reported on 28 August, this represents an increase of 166 animals, or an increase of approximately 33.7%.
The number of affected farms has also continued to increase, according to the administration. While 246 farms were affected as of August 28, this number has increased to 313 as of September 4. This represents an increase of 67 farms in one week, or an increase of approximately 27.2%.
In addition, “an increased mortality rate is observed in cattle and especially in sheep and goats,” explains Alva. The vaccination campaign is progressing, however: to date, a total of 240,000 doses of vaccine have been delivered and 70,000 doses have been distributed to veterinarians in the Grand Duchy.