PRIME Minister Gordon Brown today pledged the government was taking action “at a very high level” to combat the bluetongue outbreak.Mr Brown said there were now 11 cases of the disease which is transmitted by midges and was first reported at Baylham near Ipswich.
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown today pledged the government was taking action “at a very high level” to combat the bluetongue outbreak.
Mr Brown said there were now 11 cases of the disease which is transmitted by midges and was first reported at Baylham near Ipswich.
In a statement from Downing Street, he said: “I've now come from a meeting of our special committee which has discussed the recent incidence and I've also been in discussions with the veterinary service and with the National Farmers' Union and its president.
”There are now 11 cases of bluetongue. We are taking all the action that is necessary within a protected zone. At the same time we've had seven cases of foot-and-mouth.
”There have been no new cases for five days and while we will not be complacent, we are taking action at a very high level within the protected zones there.”
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