7 Bluetongue Cases Confirmed In Wexford Since The Start Of September

7 cases of the Bluetongue virus have now been confirmed in Wexford animals over the last month.

An update from the Department of Agriculture shows the disease has been discovered in 6 cows and 1 sheep here since the first case was uncovered at the start of September.

There have now been 23 instances of the virus since then in animals based in 11 different counties including Wicklow and Waterford.

It is not known whether the recent burst of cases have been clinical, or what symptoms the infected cattle or sheep may have shown.

There is a wide range of clinical signs of bluetongue to look out for including fever, loss or lack of appetite, drop in milk yield, lesions, sores, reddening and/or ulcerations, swelling of the face, lips and tongue.

The Department says farmers, vets and other relevant stakeholders should remain vigilant for bluetongue transmission.

It's urging more farmers to vaccinate their animal against the disease and is stressing that it's not dangerous to humans.

Farmers are also asked to isolate an animal they believe may have been infected with the virus while they should also report the case to the Department as a matter of urgency.

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.