Bluetongue control zone extended

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The bluetongue control zone in Kent is being extended into East Sussex after a new case of the disease was confirmed near Rye.

Vets at the environment department, Defra, say two rams are suffering from the infection at a farm in Northiam.

Meanwhile, agreement has been reached to reinstate meat exports from most of England to the EU from next week.

Deputy chief vet Fred Landeg said the move showed the EU had confidence in UK efforts to eradicate foot-and-mouth.

Defra said that as of 1700 BST on 18 October there were 45 premises infected with bluetongue and eight with foot-and-mouth disease.

'Surveillance'

Exports of meat and meat products were banned after the first foot-and-mouth outbreak in August.

On 12 October, the European Commission lifted restrictions on farms in Scotland, Wales and parts of England at low-risk of both foot-and-mouth and bluetongue.

Symptoms of bluetongue are generally worst in sheep

But farms in parts of South-East England and East Anglia remained subject to an export ban.

From next week, there will be a further relaxation to allow meat from more areas of England to be sold to Europe subject to strict conditions.

Farmers in counties including Dorset, Somerset, Worcestershire, Norfolk and Suffolk will be able to export.

Defra said detailed guidance on the conditions and areas involved would be published shortly.

Mr Landeg said: "This is a welcome decision from the commission and other member states.

"It demonstrates the confidence they have in the measures we are taking to eradicate FMD through our ongoing extensive surveillance and epidemiological work."