The Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has confirmed a first case of serotype 4 of the Bluetongue virus in Orihuela, after receiving notification from the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the positive result of a sample in a cattle farm in the municipality.
The Department of Agriculture has immediately implemented prevention, surveillance and control measures in the area to prevent the spread of the disease, as stated in the Annual Animal Health Plan for 2024. In addition, it has established mandatory vaccination against the serotype 4 of the Bluetongue virus for all animals over 3 months of age of the ovine and bovine species throughout the province of Alicante. To this end, an emergency action will be carried out to purchase the first 120,000 doses of the vaccine.
Official notification has also been made to the European Commission, the rest of the Autonomous Communities and sectors involved.
The circulation of serotype 4 of the virus has been detected in a sentinel cattle farm, within the framework of active surveillance established through the national surveillance, control and eradication program of Bluetongue, which includes early detection through monitoring and control of sensitive animals located in sentinel farms.
Bluetongue is a viral disease of the Reoviridae family, which is transmitted by mosquitoes of the Culicoides genus and affects wild and domestic ruminants, but in no case affects people. The severity of the disease in ruminants varies depending on the species and serotype.
The Bajo Segura region is located in a zone free of the disease. The province of Alicante is in the Seasonally Vector Free Period (PEL), so the movements of animals susceptible to the disease in the province will not be affected at the moment.
