Excessive swelling from the effusion of watery liquid is one of the signs of bluetongue
With eleven cases of the bluetongue virus now identified in UK cattle over the last week, the veterinary authorities have now declared an official outbreak of the disease. This means more movement restrictions and a long-term ban on live animal exports from the UK. 
Photo: Crown Copyright/DEFRA
The number of infected cattle had increased from the five cattle that had tested positive for bluetongue at four premises across the county of Suffolk on Thursday morning to eleven by Friday night. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)'s admission that the disease appears to be circulating between the local animal and midge vector populations, rather than from animal to animal, means that it has had to declare an official outbreak. Deputy chief vet Fred Landeg told a news conference that many more cases are expected, and that infected animals will no longer be slaughtered as a control measure....
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