Two more cases of potentially deadly bluetongue virus detected in Scotland

Two more cases of the potentially deadly bluetongue virus have been confirmed, after Scotland's first-ever case was recorded earlier this week.

The Johnson family's Kirkmabreck Farm, near Creetown in Dumfries and Galloway, said one of its lambs tested positive for the disease on Saturday.

Now Scotland's chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas says two more cases have been confirmed at a neighbouring farm.

All three animals have been euthanised and both farms are under restrictions.

Voas said it was likely that infected midges carried the disease over from outbreaks in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man or the north of England.

She told BBC Scotland News the two new cases were "not particularly surprising".

"If it is an infected plume of midges which have blown in from affected areas, either to the south or to the west, it would have been very unlikely it would just be one midge and one animal that was affected," she said.

"What we do know is that having looked closely at the first farm, we haven't found anything else, and we are hoping that will be the same with the second."

Some 353 cases of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV3) have been recorded in the UK in the 2026/27 season - most of them in the south-west of England.

The Johnson family - who moved to Scotland from England four months ago - said earlier that the disease had been detected in one of their lambs.

They confirmed in a post on Facebook that all of their stock had been moved indoors to reduce the risk of spread.

The post said: "I just want to clarify that all the stock we have was purchased locally, within 20 miles (32km) of where we live. Nothing came up with us from England apart from dogs and of course our children!

"I literally cannot believe that we have only been here four months and this is what we are faced with. This is not at all how we wanted to introduce ourselves to the locals but like the vet said, we haven't done anything wrong and it is all a case of rather bad luck."

The virus is spread by insects and is generally found in cattle, sheep and goats.

Voas said nearby farms were being investigated for the disease, but it appeared there were "quite a small number" of infected animals.

But she said it could be "devastating for farmers" if the disease spread through local midge populations.

Signs of BTV3 include nasal discharge, redness and swelling of the lips, nose and muzzle, lameness or reluctance to stand, a decrease in milk production and diarrhoea in cattle.

It does not affect people or food safety but it causes a high rate of death in infected sheep and fertility problems in infected cattle.

The chief vet urged farmers to vaccinate their livestock against the disease.

She said: "Once they have the infection, then it's only symptomatic nursing treatment.

"Some of them will get better, and some of them won't. It's much better to prevent them from getting the infection."

BTV3 is a notifiable disease that must be reported to the Animal and Plant Agency in Scotland.

A recent spike in cases in the south-west of England has been blamed on the hot and humid weather.

The Animal and Plant Agency has said the conditions were favourable for midge populations which carry the virus between animals.