Spain: Blue tongue returns to Extremadura, two outbreaks confirmed

The blue tongue continues to arrive this year in regions of Spain that had not faced cases for years. An example is the Balearic Islands, which is suffering an outbreak of this animal disease, a pathology that had not been present on the islands for almost 20 years. Now, something similar has happened with Extremadura, which has declared two outbreaks of bluetongue serotype 4 in the southern municipalities of Badajoz de Jerez de los Caballeros and Montemolín, the first since 2016, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAP). The outbreaks, with a confirmation date of September 27, have affected cattle (Jerez de los Caballeros) and sheep (Montemolín) farms, with 137 and 1,200 sensitive animals, respectively. Sources from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, Population and Territory of Extremadura explain to Animal’s Health that they are extensive breeding farms and two fattening sites. These foci to the south of Extremadura come days ...