Although the number of confirmed equine herpes virus-1 cases in the province has gone up, Alberta's top veterinarian assures that there is no "propagating epidemic."
"We are not seeing a huge number of new cases every day, which is a good thing," said Dr. Gerald Hauer, chief provincial veterinarian with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. "But will there be new cases in the future? It's difficult to predict."
Since May 1, 14 cases of the virus -a mutated, more virulent form of the more common equine herpes virus -have been reported to Hauer's office.
The virus can be passed from horse to horse through nasal secretions or indirectly from people not washing their hands or sharing equipment, but does not pose a threat to people. More
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