Due to equine flu. Horses tested positive after having been vaccinated.
https://www.britishhorseracing.com/r…luenza-update/
Saw this on Bloodhorse. Scary.
TVG, who normally broadcasts British racing in the mornings, is having to do finger puppets and re-broadcasting replays of ‘classic’ US races.
I miss watching the across the pond racing… hope all the horses weather this outbreak of influenza in good health.
I hope so too. I also hope that it will not have too much of a detrimental effect on Britain’s economy. They are dealing with enough economic worries right now with Brexit.
Scary. Thinking positive thoughts for all.
I believe that there is very little, perhaps zero, permanent stabling at British tracks? Horses trailer in from their stables on the day of a race? If that is correct, it means they could easily contact the disease and bring it “home”.
So it is not possible to quarantine a barn at the track, or a track, the way it is done in the U.S? And thus the shutdown. True?
There were three more cases at the same yard They are all quarantined at their home yard. I would imagine that all the horses in the race, that were exposed, will be in quarantine. No permanent stabling at tracks in the UK.
They are swabbing EVERYTHING it would seem !
"Latest Information
The AHT has informed the BHA that it has received approximately 2,100 nasal swabs and tested and reported on 720. So far, other than the six at the yard of Donald McCain already identified, there have been no further positive samples returned.
This includes the swabs taken from horses at the yard of Rebecca Menzies. One horse – which tested negative – had previously been identified as suspicious and high risk after testing at a different laboratory. All these horses will remain under close surveillance, analysis of tests from the yard is ongoing and testing of the suspicious horses will be repeated.
Wider analysis is continuing with thousands more swabs expected to be received and tested over the coming days.
The BHA’s Director of Equine Health and Welfare, David Sykes, said;
"We are very grateful to all those trainers whose horses may have come into contact with those from the infected yard for working so rapidly with us and the Animal Health Trust to test their horses.
"There are many more tests to analyse and the nature of the incubation period means that a negative test now does not mean that horse has never had this flu virus. So these yards continue to remain locked down and their horses kept under observation.
"Though hundreds of tests have been completed already, there are many hundreds more to be analysed over the weekend before we will have a fuller picture. The nature of disease control means that if a positive did emerge elsewhere, that could lead to more yards being locked down.
“I would advise against anyone drawing any conclusions or making any predictions based on this set of results. Our focus remains on containing the virus through the strict adherence to biosecurity measures we are seeing across the industry”
It sounds as if they are doing everything possible to address the problem. Well done.
Newmarket has (as of late 2/10) 4 cases of equine influenza reported in vaccinated TBs at Simon Chrisford’s yard.
BHA is supposed to make an announcement I suspect tomorrow (Monday) if Britain will resume racing on Wednesday.
To me, scary that vaccinated horses are turning up…
Worrisome indeed.
Vaccinations are not a guarantee. Just like in humans, the strains of flu change (antigenic drift).
Confirmation has also been received that the strain of the virus is the “Florida Clade 1” strain, which is endemic to North and South America, and is different from Clade 2 strain that is endemic to Europe. British horses are vaccinated against both Clade 1 and Clade 2, but this is clearly more virulent than the European strain and therefore able to affect vaccinated horses, though the vaccine will provide some protection. The Animal Health Trust provides more detailed information: https://www.aht.org.uk/disease-surveillance/equiflunet/equine-influenza-vaccines.
13:00 | 10 February: Daily update regarding equine influenza case
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will make a decision later tonight as to whether racing can return in Britain on Wednesday. This decision will be made following a meeting of the industry veterinary committee. The decision will follow further assessment of the data already gathered as well as the results of the latest testing which is taking place at the Animal health Trust (AHT) today. To allow the committee to have access to the most recent evidence, it will not meet until this evening. This means that no decision should be expected before 10:30pm at the earliest.
23:00 | 10 February: Further equine influenza case identified
This information is being relayed to the Newmarket community immediately in order to ensure that appropriate action can be taken ahead of any morning activities. The BHA will be in further contact with Newmarket trainers tomorrow morning.
A further update will be issued as early as possible tomorrow. This will include further details of action that is being taken off the back of this incident, and how the process will operate for the decision which will be made tomorrow evening regarding whether it is possible to resume racing on Wednesday 13 February.
Nothing dated 11 February
Racing resuming Wed 13th (risk managed)
https://www.britishhorseracing.com/p…y-13-february/
Another way to look at it;
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/diary-home-made-locked-livery-yard-quick-way-get-facebook-likes-679094
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