On Jan. 9, the State Veterinarian’s Office of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed three horses tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 . The infected horses reside on a pleasure horse farm in Hanover County. Two horses were euthanized due to severe neurologic signs. A third horse on the index farm began exhibiting neurologic signs on Jan. 10. The farm in Hanover County and a neighboring farm sharing a fence line are under quarantine and all horses and donkeys are being monitored twice daily for fever and other clinical signs. No horses from the index farm have left the farm in two weeks prior to exhibiting clinical signs.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets confirmed one case of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy and one positive for EHV-1 at the same quarantined premises in Schuyler County, New York. An aged Quarter Horse mare, displaying leaning and hind end ataxia was confirmed positive for on a nasal swab PCR test late last week. A few days later, a Quarter Horse gelding on the farm with only a high fever also tested PCR positive on a nasal swab for EHV-1. The mare, gelding and all other horses on the farm are quarantined. Biosecurity measures and temperature monitoring are in place. No horses have left the farm in the two weeks preceding the onset of the illness nor have left the farm after the diagnosis of the index case.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets also confirmed EHM in a Paint mare, from Erie County, New York. The exhibited ataxia and falling was confirmed positive for EHV-1 on a nasal swab PCR test this week. The mare and all other horses on the farm are quarantined. Biosecurity measures and temperature monitoring are in place. No horses have left the farm in the two weeks preceding the onset of the illness nor have left the farm after the diagnosis of this case. The mare has not traveled off of the farm recently. The New York State Dept of Agriculture and Markets will continue to monitor the situation at both New York locations.