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Three new cases of bluetongue have been confirmed in England by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
The latest cases, confirmed on Saturday 16 December, are in the same herd in Kent as the five cases announced the day before.
The animals have been humanely culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission.
This brings to 22 the total number of cases across eight holdings.
Temporary control zone
The temporary control zone is not being extended and movement restrictions continue to apply to cattle, sheep and other ruminants in the zone.
The cases are of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV 3), the strain of the disease for which there is no vaccine.
Bluetongue, which affects ruminants, does not affect humans or pose a risk to food safety.
DEFRA said there is still no evidence of the virus circulating in the UK.
The first bluetongue case in England resulted in a ban on cattle, sheep and other ruminants moving to the island of Ireland.
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