The number of outbreaks of bluetongue serotype 3 has almost tripled in a week in France, where 1,929 cases had been recorded by 12 September, the Ministry of Agriculture announced on Friday. These are in 22 departments, mainly located in the north-eastern district.
These are Aisne, Ardennes, Aube, Cher, Doubs, Eure-et-Loir, Haute-Marne, Haute-Saône, Loiret, Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Nièvre, Nord, Oise, Orne, Pas-de Calais, Saône-et-Loire , Sarthe, Somme and Yonne, according to a new report published on the ministry’s website.
Since its first detection in France, at the beginning of August, in the North, this viral disease, known as “the blue tongue” and transmitted by mosquitoes, it spreads rapidly. Cases have recently been detected in Saône-et-Loire and in Orne.
FCO considered endemic in France
Last week, 712 outbreaks were reported. FCO 3 appeared last year in the Netherlands.
To slow the progression of the disease, which is not transmissible to humans, the French government announced on August 30 that it would order 5.3 million additional vaccines. More than 6.4 million had already been ordered previously. They will be provided free of charge to interested breeders.
Before the appearance of FCO 3, French breeders had been dealing with FCO 4 and 8 serotypes for several years. However, FCO 8 has experienced a resurgence in recent weeks in the south of France, thanks to the appearance of a new variant. There is a separate vaccine for FCO 3, which was covered by the State from 2008 to 2018, but it is no longer covered for this epizootic, now considered endemic in France.
