The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has announced the details of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus cases that have come to light in the last week.

OMAFRA has announced that it confirmed a second case of EEE during the week of October 23. The horse in question was a 19-year old mixed breed mare that was 11 months pregnant and unvaccinated for EEE. The mare was from the District of Muskoka. Neurological signs began as muscle tremors and hind-end weakness and progressed rapidly to recumbency. The mare was euthanized. It was the second confirmed case of EEE in Ontario in 2017.

The ministry has also announced that since October 19, three cases of West Nile Virus have been reported. The reports came in from Frontenac County, Oxford County and the Regional Municipality of Halton. The horses included a gelding, a filly and a mare with ages ranging from two to 11 years. Clinical signs ranged from hind-end weakness, muscle fasciculations and hyperesthesia to ataxia. All three are recovering under veterinary supervision. One horse was unvaccinated, one had not been vaccinated for three years, and one four-year-old had been vaccinated yearly since it was two. The total number of cases reported in Ontario in 2017 is 21. For more information, click here (cliquez ici).

(With files from OMAFRA)