AHS breakout in Jozi

Thank you for a response. This is a weighty subject that obviously can be defused with an updated email as above.

Means a lot that we can get answers without even requesting one.......on certain matters

I can confirm - one of my horses at Randjes was confirmed this morning to have AHS. It is called 'dikkop' type.

Oh no....................Hope it pulls through Homer.

Tomorrow key day - if no improvement will be put down.

So sorry to hear that.
I know this is the time of year that these things happen but I would rather it hadn't

PRESS RELEASE: MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT: WESTERN CAPE
SUSPECT OUTBREAK OF AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS: WESTERN CAPE
3rd MARCH 2011
HORSE MOVEMENT EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A suspect outbreak of African Horse Sickness is being investigated in the Mamre area of
the Western Cape following the death of several horses in that area.
Post mortems have been done on two horses in Mamre by the State Veterinary Services
and samples have been sent to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute and the Equine
Reseach Centre for analysis. Preliminary results on molecular testing (RT-PCR) indicate
possible African Horse Sickness but this has yet to be confirmed by further virus
isolation, the results of which are still outstanding.
African Horse Sickness is transmitted by midges, which need an infected horse as a
source of virus for spread of the disease. The disease has the potential to spread very
rapidly to other horses, irrespective of farm boundaries. The disease has to date not been
present in the African Horse Sickness Controlled Area of the Western Cape since 2006.
The infected farm is situated within the African Horse Sickness Surveillance Zone of the
Western Cape Province and approximately 50 km from the African Horse Sickness Free
Area, which is the only area in South Africa from where horses are accepted for export to
other countries. The surveillance area acts as an early warning system for the free area
and horses are therefore normally not vaccinated against the disease in accordance with
the export protocol negotiated with the European Commission.
The Veterinary Services of the Western Cape is directing an intensive epidemiological
investigation in a wide area (10 km zone initially) surrounding the farm to try and
establish a possible source of the infection.
• The magisterial district of Malmesbury is hereby placed under an immediate
movement ban for all equines (horses, donkeys, mules and zebra). All
movements have to be approved by the State Veterinarian Boland, whose office
will issue a permit (red-cross permit) for movement. They can be contacted on
Fax 021 808 5125 or Tel 021 808 5026 or 021 808 5253.
• Officials of Veterinary Services in conjunction with private veterinary
practitioners will immediately start vaccinating horses in the area surrounding the
outbreak.
2
• Horse owners in the near vicinity of the outbreak are also strongly advised to
stable their horses overnight from 2 hours before sunset until 2 hours after
sunrise while the midges are active.
• Horses should also be treated with insecticides twice daily.
• No horses are allowed to move into or out of or through the affected area
while owners of horses bordering the risk area are cautioned to restrict
unnecessary movement of their animals out of the area. These measures will serve
to limit the spread of the disease.
The OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) and the European Commission has
already been informed by the National Department of Agriculture of the outbreak of the
disease. The status of the free zone and the possible institution of export embargos will be
dependent on the extent and the severity of the outbreak.

Seems like there has been a race horse death at Randjiesfontein and it is suspected that AHS is the culprit.....

This is SUPER bad news imo. We certainly don't need another setback in trying to rebuild the horse racing industry.

Hope the boys at Randjies are ok and that this is an isolated incident?

Death?? where you get that from Tombo?

From the red site. apparently 1 horse died and Woman of the Year is sick, both from Magner yard.

Like I said, hope the horse did not die from AHS.

Shit just saw it now, hope she pulls through Brett....(tu)

From what I've been told, it is not the contageous strain - still bad news

At least that is partial good news Frodo, still not news I would want to hear to be honest.....

Anyway just wish all of them all of the best!