March 1, 2007 State ceases sale of horses in attempt to stop spread of virus
You won't be able to buy or sell a horse in the Commonwealth until next Tuesday. It's all in an effort to stop the spread of Equine Herpes Virus one. It's moving quickly from horse to horse in Northern Virginia. But no cases have been reported locally. The virus is not harmful to humans, but it can be spread by people to horses. The first case was diagnosed by Virginia Tech's Marion-duPont Equine Medical Center in Leesburg. EHV one is highly infectious. It causes abortions, respiratory disease, and neurological diseases in horses. The Virginia Horse Center in Lexington has canceled a show scheduled for March 8th through the 11th. The center says it's also canceling the Virginia Intermont Classic out of caution, not any immediate threat.
