Bluetongue, transmitted by insects, poses a lethal threat to domestic ruminants like sheep, cattle, and goats. This disease has been prevalent in the Netherlands, northern Belgium, and western Germany since late last year. The WOAH reported that the outbreak, which affected a sheep on a farm in Marpent, Haut-de-France, was identified on July 30 and confirmed on August 5, based on information from French authorities.
France anticipated the disease's spread after recent outbreaks in southern Belgium. The French farm ministry announced last week the establishment of a regulated zone around the latest Belgian outbreak and initiated a voluntary vaccination campaign to mitigate the disease's impact. They have acquired 600,000 doses from Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim and 4 million from Spain's CZ Vaccines, which will be provided free to farmers.
