As of Dec. 20, seven horses have tested positive for EHV-1, the equine herpes virus, and showing, trail riding, foxhunting and Thoroughbred racing are being impacted in several parts of Florida, including Wellington, Jupiter and the Ocala area. All confirmed cases are under quarantine.

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson said the department\’s division of Animal Industry is continuing the investigation into the presence of the herpes virus.

Calder Race Course track veterinarian Mary Scollay announced precautionary measures to be taken regarding the EVH-1 outbreak.

“As of Dec. 19, two barns at Calder Race Course have been placed under restrictions in response to presumed equine herpes virus type 1 exposure,” said Scollay. “Currently, there are no cases of EHV-1 at Calder Race Course. However, a horse that had been hospitalized in Wellington and returned to Calder for five days then shipped to Ocala has been confirmed to be infected with EHV-1.”

In addition, Tampa Bay Downs is restricting access to its barn area. There will be no backside admittance except for race-and-go shippers, who will be restricted to a quarantined receiving barn. Currently, there are no cases of EHV-1 at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Palm Beach Hounds Inc., Boca Raton, announced that due to the outbreak foxhunting has been temporarily suspended until further notice. The staff hopes to resume hunting on Dec. 27 depending on the situation at that time.

The timeline of the spread of the disease began when five horses were brought to Florida after being imported from Europe and spending time in a quarantine station in Newburgh, N.Y. Three more horses were picked up en route in Huntington, N.Y., and one in Darlington, Md.

The truck arrived on Nov. 29 in Wellington, Fla., and one of the horses from the import station was ill. That horse is now recovering, but two horses that were stabled with the index horse at the original facility became ill and died. A lab test on one of those horses confirmed EHV-1. The facility, J N and Company, is currently under state quarantine, and the horses are being closely monitored. No horses are allowed to enter or leave the premises. The Maryland horse was transported to another Wellington location, Southfields Training facility, and died on Dec. 2. While no lab test was done, because of its exposure to the disease, the Southfields facility voluntarily restricted all movement of horses.

On Dec. 19 a lab test confirmed a positive case at the Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex, which is part of the Southfields Training facility. There is a second suspect case there awaiting lab test confirmation. The FACS is also placing this facility under quarantine.

A horse that was exposed to the virus during the shipment into Florida was treated at the Palm Beach Equine Clinic, and it\’s likely that this horse was the link to a horse in Ocala, who was at the clinic at the same time. The Ocala horse tested positive for EHV-1 and was transported to Ocala on Dec. 11. The horse was ill when it arrived and was immediately isolated from all other horses at the Ocala location, Tuxedo Farms. The horse continues to be isolated and a portion of that facility is also under quarantine.

The Palm Beach Equine Clinic indicated it is contacting the owners of all horses that were there at the same time as the index horse to make them aware of the situation and find out if any of the horses are exhibiting any signs of EHV-1. So far the department has received no reports of any other horses that were at the clinic showing disease signs.

A horse at Pinehurst Stables, in Jupiter, Fla., has also been reported with neurological symptoms of the disease and a sample has been submitted for a lab test.