STATE VETERINARIAN RELEASES ADDITIONAL FACILITIES
Submitted by: VTA
Email Address: vta(at)vabred.org
Date Added: 3/12/2007
Dr. Richard Wilkes, State Veterinarian with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), has lifted additional quarantines imposed due to the Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1). On March 9, Wilkes released a farm in Fauquier County and the Marine Corps Base in Quantico. The VDACS Web site contains updated quarantine information at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/ehv-quarantine.shtml.
Although horses on these premises possibly had come in contact with an EHV-1 infected horse at the Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg, no horses at either location ever showed any sign of illness compatible with EHV. After additional testing which was negative, Dr. Wilkes lifted the quarantine. Quarantines remain on five premises, including the EMC.
Dr. Wilkes did not cancel public sales or auctions for last weekend, although he advises a common sense approach and good bio-security practices. Currently there are no travel restrictions on horses in Virginia outside of quarantined premises. Travel restrictions for racehorses going to Maryland and West Virginia tracks are still in place. Please contact Laurel Park and Charles Town directly for more updated information.
State animal health officials are cautiously optimistic that the neurological form of the EHV-1 virus is contained on the currently quarantined farms, but only time will tell. A positive test result, especially on a farm that has not had contact with the EMC, would cause a shift in our perspective, but it appears that we have been able to contain the virus to these contact premises, said Dr. Wilkes. I want to thank Virginia's equine community for their responsiveness to the situation and the responsible way in which they have made decisions and increased their bio-security.
For more information on EHV-1, quarantined premises and bio-security practices, see the VDACS Web site at www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/ehv.shtml or call 804/786-7686.
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