West Nile Claims Essex County Horse
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According to a report, a horse in Essex County, Ont. had to be euthanized last week, and it was yesterday confirmed that the equine tested positive for the West Nile Virus.
An article by The Windsor Star explains that no humans have tested positive for the virus in Essex County this year. The report also cites medical officer of health Dr. Allen Heimann as saying that incidents have taken a sharp decline this year.
The article states that the euthanized horse had not been vaccinated for the disease.
"Forty per cent of horses that get West Nile do eventually die of it or have to be euthanized," Randi Biederman, of Biederman Equine Clinic in Maidstone, Ont. was quoted as saying.
"I think the main reason we are not seeing huge numbers of West Nile virus this year is that much of the Essex County horse population is vaccinated now."
(With files from The Windsor Star)