14 October 2025: Outbreak of bluetongue virus in Lithuania
Updated 22 October 2025
漏 Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 伊人直播. To view this licence, visit or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at /government/publications/official-veterinary-surgeon-ovs-notes/14-october-2025-outbreak-of-bluetongue-virus-in-lithuania
OVS鈥痭ote number: 2025/70听
Date: 14 October 2025听
笔耻谤辫辞蝉别听
To inform you of new import restrictions on imports of live ruminants from Lithuania due to an outbreak of Bluetongue Virus (BTV).听
叠补肠办驳谤辞耻苍诲听
Lithuania confirmed outbreaks of BTV-3 in cattle to WOAH (see notification) on 10 October 2025, with cases reported since 24 September 2025. As a result, Lithuania has lost its BTV-free status.听
In response to the outbreak, the UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance updated its list on 14 October to apply Supplementary Guarantee 鈥楢鈥� to the entry for Lithuania. This guarantee requires all live ruminants exported to GB from Lithuania to be vaccinated against all serotype/s of BTV circulating in the country.听
However, BTV-3 vaccines authorised for use in the EU cannot currently be used for trade due to the lack of information on the duration of immunity of the vaccine, meaning they cannot comply with the relevant part of the certificate. Consequently, imports of live ruminants from Lithuania cannot be certified for export to Great Britain.听听
In addition to the above, the loss of BTV-free status for Lithuania means that imports of ruminant germinal products from Lithuania are now required to comply with the relevant testing requirements for BTV as set out in relevant health certificates and in Appendix 2 of the Import Information Note.听
Contact point for enquiries听
贰尘补颈濒:鈥� imports@apha.gov.uk听
Imports and鈥�EU鈥疶rade Team