Authorities Move Swiftly To Contain AHS
Western Cape authorities have launched an on-going testing campaign in a bid to contain the latest African Horse Sickness outbreak
13th April 2016
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Western Cape authorities have launched an on-going testing campaign in a bid to contain the latest African Horse Sickness outbreak
A suspect case of African horse sickness (AHS) in the Paarl area has been positively confirmed as AHS type 1.
The high risk African Horse Sickness season is from 1 Februaryto 30 June. In order to manage the risk, all horses entering the province during these months will be held at an approved facility for a minimum of 14 days.
With their new and improved laboratory, Onderstepoort will be ramping up production of the AHS vaccine
Movement restrictions from Gauteng and KZN into the African Horse Sickness controlled area have been lifted
Currently SA is losing out on investment amounting to potentially R1 billion per annum
The Western Cape African Horse sSckness (AHS) serotype 1 outbreak was resolved on the 17th June 2014
“We may have the best quality horses at the best prices, but until we can create a demand from receiving countries and force sufficient compromise with regards to the current demands placed on us, nothing will change”
Although the outbreak has remained largely sub-clinical, a number of new properties and cases have been identified in Robertson. The cases continue to prohibit the movement of horses into the AHS surveillance and free zone from Robertson and surrounds and the public is urged not to move horses in and around the Robertson area unnecessarily.
The 2014 African Horse Sickness outbreak has now affected a total of 28 properties in the Western Cape. The outbreak has extended to the Tulbagh and Piketberg areas and there are now a total 74 confirmed cases and 11 confirmed deaths
The export of horses provides South Africa with a foreign exchange income of R250-million per annum but trade is currently hampered by quarantine requirements and set backs. Collaborative Workshop looks at solutions.
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