Britain extends protection zone for bluetongue disease after new cases confirmed

British veterinary authorities are extending a livestock protection zone after confirming a new outbreak of bluetongue disease in southern England.

The environment department says susceptible animals may not be moved out of the protection zone that covers a large chunk of southern England.

In Thursday's announcement, the government says the animals on the affected farm were probably infected last year.

Bluetongue is carried by insects and affects cows, sheep and other ruminant animals. The disease was once confined to Mediterranean areas, but has been spreading north since August 2006. It does not harm humans.

There have been 125 cases of bluetongue across Britain, with 59 of those identified this year.