The highly infectious sheep and goat disease Q fever has been found on a farm in Gelderland, in what is the first case in the Netherlands since 2016.

Q fever bacteria were identified in the sheep farm’s milk tank during regular checks and are likely to have come from “one or two” of the 25 young animals that had lambed but have not yet been vaccinated, the farm ministry said in a statement.

The food safety board NVWA is currently investigating. Farms with at least 50 sheep or goats are required by law to vaccinate their animals.

The Netherlands was hit by a major Q fever epidemic between 2007 and 2011 in which between 50,000 and 100,000 people became ill and at least 74 died. One in five humans to be infected with the disease goes on to develop symptoms similar to Long Covid and ME.

Over 40,000 goats were also slaughtered during the epidemic as a precaution.