The Schmallenberg virus, which causes deformities and still births in sheep and cattle, has been identified on 220 farms in the Netherlands, the farm ministry has confirmed.

110 cattle, 105 sheep and five goat farms have been infected. At the beginning of March, the presence of the virus was confirmed on 144 farms. The first reports of the virus in the Netherlands came at the end of last year.
The virus has been named the Schmallenberg virus after the German location where it was first identified on November 18, the paper says. It is related to a group of viruses known as Orthobunya, which are usually found in Asia, Africa and Australia and do not transfer directly to humans. It is spread by gnats.
The public health institute RIVM says the risk of transfer to humans is ‘limited’.