146 horses dead in Korat of African Horse Sickness

African Horse Sickness, a viral disease which affects only animals, has now killed 146 horses in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, or Korat. The chief of the provincial livestock development office says 13 other horses also had severe symptoms. The deaths have so far been limited to the province’s Pak Chong district.

Previously, tests confirmed that more than 100 horses in Pak Chong had died of the African horse sickness, or African plague.

Nakhon Ratchasima’s governor issued an order on March 26 prohibiting the movement of horses out of the area to prevent the spread of the disease. Five road checkpoints were set up to block the movement of the animals following the deaths.

The province has 1,455 horses at 110 farms. Of those, 1,002 were in Pak Chong, 368 in Muang district and the remainder in other districts.

Pak Chong has 46 horse farms. All have been asked to spray disinfectant and insecticide. Mosquito nets were also erected at the stables. All farms have given full cooperation to provincial authorities.

African horse sickness is a deadly viral disease that mainly attacks horses and donkeys, gnats being the carriers. The virus attacks the lungs and respiratory system quickly and can kill a horse within hours.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post