May 14, 2015... There have been no additional cases of horses infected with Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) this week, according to State Veterinarian Dr. Brad LeaMaster of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Over the previous two weeks, nine horses had either developed neurological signs of the infection or had developed fevers with no neurological signs after being exposed to EHV-1. All horses involved remain under active observation by owners and their veterinarians. Eight farms remain under quarantine, six in Marion County and two in Polk County. There have been no deaths associated with the EHV-1 outbreak so far. Two horses that were hospitalized at Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Large Animal Hospital have responded to treatment and have been sent home. “The fact that there have been no new reports of the virus in Oregon is encouraging news and may indicate that the outbreak situation has stabilized,” says LeaMaster. All affected horses have been linked to an Oregon High School Equestrian Team (OHSET) meet at the Linn County Fairgrounds on April 16-19. “I am aware that many equine shows and other events have been cancelled or postponed this past week” says Brad LeaMaster. “It is a very tough decision to make, however, I commend those event organizers who made that call as well as the many horse owners who decided to just stay home. That was a responsible thing to do and I feel that those actions have been the key reason for no new infections being reported this past week.” ODA has received many inquiries from concerned horse owners on what to do if they have a potentially exposed horse. “Our recommendation is to isolate the animal and contact your veterinarian to discuss how best to monitor for signs of sickness as well as biosecurity details” says LeaMaster. Another frequently asked question is about the length of time for the quarantine to be in place. The eight premises under state quarantine will remain so for 28 days after the last infection.