OWN CORRESPONDENT, Eastern Cape | Saturday
THE agriculture department on Friday confirmed an outbreak of horse sickness in the Eastern Cape and announced it had scheduled a vaccination campaign.
“This campaign will be accompanied by random sampling of the horses so as to ascertain the extent of the problem,” said provincial agriculture representative Mike Ngwane.
“It is estimated that a total of 8 100 horses will be vaccinated, starting in the second week of May”.
Veterinarians suspect that it is the virus strain, serotype 2, which has a fatality rate of up to 90%, and which made its appearance in Butterworth earlier this year.
Border Vet in East London and an Umtata supplier of veterinarian supplies said on Friday that the demand for the vaccine was so great that they had run out of stock.
Ngwane said African Horse Sickness was confirmed by post mortem in Willowvale, Lusikisiki, Mqanduli, Ngqeleni, Elliotdale and Engcobo and “unconfirmed reports have been received in and around East London”.
There were also reports from the Kei Mouth and Komga areas of the disease. Between 30 and 40 cases have been reported since last week and the disease is spreading towards the city. About 20 horses have died so far.
The disease is transmitted by a biting midge. Symptoms include a high temperature, listlessness and difficulty in breathing.
The midges were busiest from dusk to dawn and were not found in high-lying areas, Ngwane said.
“This is a controlled animal disease. Any suspected cases must be reported to the nearest state veterinarian or police,” he said.