2007 PRESS RELEASES

March 7, 2007
EHV-1 UPDATE FOR MARCH 7, 2007 – QUARANTINE LIFTED ON ONE FARM IN MIDDLEBURG
Contact: Elaine Lidholm, 804.786.7686

Dr. Richard Wilkes, Virginia State Veterinarian, has lifted the quarantine on one farm in Loudoun County. Although a horse on the farm possibly had come in contact with an EHV-1 infected horse at the Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg, no horses on the farm ever showed any sign of illness compatible with EHV. After additional testing over the weekend which was negative, Dr. Wilkes lifted the quarantine. The farm is in Middleburg.

Quarantines remain on nine premises, including the EMC. VDACS is awaiting test results on three additional farms and is testing today at Quantico.

Dr. Wilkes has not cancelled public sales or auctions for this weekend, although he advises a common sense approach and good bio-security practices (see the box called General Information at www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/ehv.shtml).

Although State animal health officials are cautiously optimistic that the neurological form of the EHV-1 virus is contained on the currently quarantined farms, it is too soon to be certain at this time. The duration from infection to clinical illness can take up to ten days and once infected, horses may shed the virus and be contagious for 3-4 weeks. A second wave of infections may not be apparent until a few weeks after the first wave. If no new cases of EHV-1 develop and if horse owners practice vigilant biosecurity, horse movement may return to normal later this month.