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Second-highest Bluetongue disease cases, predominantly affecting sheep and cattle, are reported in Lower Saxony within Germany. According to data from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (as of August 23), there are 4,831 infected animals nationwide. Among these, 1,423 cases have been reported in Lower Saxony. Only North Rhine-Westphalia has a higher count with 2,465 registered cases.
The virus has spread across Germany within ten months. So far, Berlin is the only region without any reported cases in animals. The pathogen isn't harmful to humans and consuming meat and dairy products from susceptible animals is safe.
The number of reported cases has significantly increased in Germany in recent weeks. Initially, there were only 13 cases in June, but this rose to over 1,200 in July. By August 23, there were over 4,800 infections.
First case confirmed in Germany in October 2023
The institute links the epidemic to the BTV-3 serotype of the pathogen. This variant first appeared in the Netherlands in September 2023 and spread rapidly. The first infection in Germany was confirmed in October 2023, on a sheep farm in North Rhine-Westphalia.
As per figures from the German Farmers' Association (as of May), there are approximately 10.6 million cattle in Germany, including about 3.7 million dairy cows. The top five regions housing the majority of these cattle are Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein, accounting for over 75% of the total population.
The Bluetongue virus is transmitted by specific types of midges. Sheep and cattle are highly susceptible to infection, as are South American camelids, goats, and wild boar.
The Bluetongue virus primarily impacts 'sheep' and 'cattle' in agriculture, making these animals more vulnerable to infections. Lower Saxony, being one of the top livestock regions in Germany, has reported a high number of infected animals due to the disease.
