The Horse reports:
The death toll in the African Horse Sickness (AHS) outbreak in Thailand has nearly quadrupled in a little more than a week, reaching 154 deaths and a fatality rate of 94% in horses showing clinical signs, according to reports by the Thai government and the Thailand Equestrian Federation (TEF).
African horse sickness is a viral disease spread by various vectors including Culicoides–tiny, blood-sucking midges—and certain mosquitoes. While some healthy horses are testing positive in Thailand, those showing clinical signs have little chance of survival, an on-site veterinarian reported.
“The Pak Chong province has had a high number of deaths,” said Thapana Jarutummasiri, DVM, an equine veterinarian at TP Equine Ambulatory Services working throughout Thailand. That’s where most deaths have occurred, he added.
However, the disease has spread outside its initial zone—possibly due to horse movement before the disease had been diagnosed, he said. “We now have 37 stables affected in six provinces.” Read more »
Tuesday's Horse 