Emergence of BTV12: Unvaccinated Virus Hits Dutch Farms

BTV12, a variant of the bluetongue virus for which no vaccine exists, has been detected in the Netherlands. Cases were identified in a sheep, cow, and calf across two central Dutch farms. The Dutch government announced the discovery on Friday.

A new bluetongue virus variant, BTV12, for which there is currently no vaccine, has emerged in the Netherlands, according to a government announcement on Friday.

The presence of this virus was detected in a sheep and a pair of cattle—a cow and its calf—on two separate farms in the country's central region on Thursday.

This discovery raises health concerns as authorities work to determine the potential impact on livestock in the area. Farmers are urged to take precautionary measures to protect their animals.

(With inputs from agencies.)